The Ribbon of Destiny
by CherryNekoChan
Summary: In order to make a good impression, Byakuya needs to get to know his newest subordinate. The big question- Was Kagome Higurashi worth breaking all the rules for again? A series of interconnected One-Shots revolving around Byakuya and Kagome.
1. Hair Ribbon

Summary

Intimidated by her new Captain, Kagome Higurashi attempts to convince herself that Byakuya isn't as cold as he seems. Yoruichi helps the theory along. Byakuya is not thrilled...

A/N: Finally decided to put this series together in a series. I hope you enjoy. For those of you reading this a second time, I apologize for the double stuff. In a few hours, though, all the nice things you said in the stand alone version of this will be gone. So, if you want, leave a little something at the end of this one too! K thanks!

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"Okay, you can do this," Kagome Higurashi muttered to herself, straightening her uniform for the tenth time in the last few minutes, "You just have to go in there, tell him that all's clear, and leave. You **will not stutter**!" Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and turned the corner... only to turn back in embarrassment. Her Captain was talking to someone already.

"I can't interrupt. They look like they're having a deep conversation," the priestess-turned-Shinigami whispered, leaning around the corner to watch discreetly. The woman he was speaking to was lovely indeed, and she laughed before waving goodbye to her normally emotionless Captain; oddly enough, he looked incredibly irritated by the dark-skinned woman.

_'I wonder what she said to make him so... annoyed?' _Kagome thought, shutting her eyes and rubbing her palms against them in a nervous habit. _'He is so scary! I just don't know how to approach him without pissing him off. It's like dealing with Sesshomaru all over again!'_

"You okay there?" a voice startled the former priestess and she looked up... only to come nose to nose with the woman that had been talking to her Captain.

"Ummm, yeah! I'm okay! Just... nervous," the younger female sighed, shaking her head to get her nerve back. The other woman's golden eyes softened in concern and she smiled disarmingly.

"I take it you're from Lil' Byakuya's squad?" Kagome blinked in shock.

_'Lil'... What?'_ She merely nodded in agreement and the unknown woman smirked.

"He's pretty nerve-wracking, isn't he? I see he hasn't lost that talent."

"... Yeah. I'm... not used to that," Kagome finally admitted, grinning sheepishly at the dark-haired female, "Do you know him?"

"Oh yeah! Byakuya and I go way back. The name's Yoruichi, by the way," the woman stated, laughing at the shocked expression on the younger girl's face. She was so cute! It was like a young Soi Fon all over again.

"I'm Kagome. It's nice to meet you, Yoruichi."

"Listen, Kagome. Don't let his cold fish attitude get to you," Yoruichi suddenly said, smiling mischievously, "I know some stories about him that would have you in tears of laughter."

"You do?" Kagome asked, tilting her head in a skeptical manner.

"Yep! See, Byakuya and I grew up together, and he was a pompous angry kid. He always let his emotions get away from him. To be honest, he was so fun to tease," the former Captain nodded, reminiscing on all the times she'd gotten the boy riled up, "He made it so easy too!"

"Oh dear," the former priestess muttered, tittering in amusement. She could actually picture her strict Captain as a spoiled child that always wanted his way.

"Oh yes! He was always claiming that he would beat me one day with his Flash Step, but I was the fastest Flash Step user back then, so he was setting himself up pretty highly."

"It sounds like he admired you," the raven-haired girl stated honestly, smiling as Yoruichi blinked in astonishment.

"Maybe... I never thought of it that way," Yoruichi muttered, thinking back on all of her memories before she shook her head. "Anyways, I used to steal his hair ribbon all the time. He always got so pissed off and he'd chase me around screaming at the top of his little lungs that he was going to put an end to me one day!"

Kagome giggled, imagining a much younger Byakuya with an Inuyasha-like attitude. It was so unreal, but incredibly funny at the same time. She could even see him swinging a sword around wildly and threatening to chop things up in his rage.

_'To think that my cold Captain was like that when he was younger! I guess he's really not that intimidating when you think of him like that!'_

"I still should return the favor, Yoruichi," a cold male voice stated behind the two laughing girls, and Kagome froze up suddenly in fear.

_'He's right behind me, isn't he?' _she thought faintly, starting to turn to face her stoic Captain. A whirlwind of motion passed by the two females and their hair came tumbling down from their respective tails. Yoruichi blinked in confusion while Kagome stared on in shock. Had her Captain just stolen her hair ribbon?

"W-wha-! Byakuya! Give it back!" the Black Ops expert whined, attempting to snag her ribbon from a much older Byakuya. He Flash Stepped to the side, appearing next to his frozen subordinate and gracing her with a look.

"Umm... Captain? Can I have my ribbon back?" Kagome asked meekly, hoping that he would give in to her request. He merely raised a brow and wrapped the blue fabric around a finger smugly.

"For you're slacking, you will have to take it back." That being said, the Captain of Squad 6 vanished, leaving two very irate females to chase after their hair ribbons.

"That's **cheating **Byakuya!" Yoruichi shouted, Flash Stepping after the much faster male in anger.

"I don't even **know **the Flash Step yet!" Kagome shrieked, sprinting after the two much faster competitors.

"Then perhaps you need to learn, Higurashi," Byakuya whispered, his hot breath fanning against her neck and causing the girl to go red in embarrassment. She whipped around to face him, but he had already disappeared again.

"That is **not fair**, Captain Kuchiki!"

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A/N: I actually read a fanfic where something along this line that took place with just Yoruichi and Byakuya, but I can't remember what it was called. Anyway, it inspired me to do my own version, only with Kagome too. I can't take credit for the idea itself, but I do take credit for what I came up with.

Please review and let me know what you think.

Also, giant update on my profile. Just to let you guys know where I'm at in everything else. Thanks!


	2. Scarf

Summary

He really isn't quite as impassive as she thought. And for some reason, he really enjoys teasing his little subordinate.

A/N: So this is still dedicated to **Lady of Vixens. **My first dedication, so I hope she likes it! Second chapter in the series! As with he previous one, all the nice things you said will be gone. So don't forget to fix that please!

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"Are you sure you've got the right person?" Kagome Higurashi asked, blinking innocently at her fellow squad member. He was proffering a scroll at her and waiting for her to take it.

"You are Kagome Higurashi, are you not?" he replied, settling the scroll in her hands when she nodded. Turning, he began back down the corridor. He had better things to do than watch his team mate gawk at her mission scroll.

"But, wait! What's this for?"

"Read it and find out! Either way, the Captain has summoned you for a meeting!" He turned the corner and disappeared.

"Eh? Captain Kuchiki?" Kagome muttered, shivering when she remembered the last time she'd spoken to him. That... had been an awful incident. She blushed when she recalled how close he'd gotten to her. She'd literally been able to feel the heat coming off of him.

_'Yeah, then he stole your favorite hair ribbon!'_ the former priestess thought morosely. She really missed that blue ribbon. Maybe if she asked really nicely, he'd give it back this time.

"Then again, he seemed to enjoy making Yoruichi and I chase him all over the Seiretei," Kagome grumbled, breaking the seal on the scroll and flipping it open with a flourish. Her blue eyes widened when she read the contents.

"No... way." Snapping it shut, the small girl raced to get her things together. If this was what she thought it was, then her Captain was really asking a lot of her for this mission.

"Looks like I get to finally prove my worth!"

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"Kagome Higurashi?"

"Yes sir!"

"... You don't really look like much." The priestess-turned-shinigami would have happily strangled her Lieutenant had she not been sure that she'd be killed for it. Renji Abarai was also at least twice her height and probably weighed three times as much.

"To be honest, Lieutenant, neither do you," she replied in a huff, glaring up at the tall red-head. He blinked in shock and floundered for a come-back.

"What? Well-!"

"As petty as this conversation is, there is a reason the two of you are here," he was interrupted by their Captain, whom sounded... amused? Kagome blinked. Was she reading that right? Turning, she acknowledged the dark-haired man with a bow and a murmured "Captain."

"Captain Kuchiki!"

"Hnn," Turning to Kagome, he glanced her over before dismissing her. She looked nothing special. However, appearances were always deceiving. They all had Aizen to thank for that little tidbit.

"I've gotten the reports back about your Zanpakutou, Higurashi. If they are true, your skills will be needed in this next mission." He didn't bother to mince words and got straight to the point. Kagome nodded silently, waiting for him to give her permission to speak.

"What reports, Captain?" Renji asked, unaware of any such paperwork. Byakuya turned and pinned him with a gimlet stare. The red-head gulped. Yes, he wanted to be better than his Captain, but that didn't mean he wasn't still intimidated by the noble.

"Why don't you explain what you Zanpakutou can do, Higurashi," the dark-haired male answered, turning and walking away. It hadn't been a question. His two subordinates scrambled to follow and Kagome grit her teeth as she responded.

"Basically, Lieutenant Abarai, my Zanpakutou is capable of honing in and locating dark spiritual pressure; like the kind that hollows exude. I then use the energy from that technique to subdue and eradicate my enemy."

"So it's-"

"Ever heard of a quincy, Lieutenant," the former priestess interrupted. When she received a nod, she continued, dumbing it down for the red-head, "It's like that, only instead of completely destroying the soul, I purify it and send it to move on to the Soul Society."

Renji stopped and stared for a moment. "Wait! So you're telling me that you can revert a Hollow back to a Whole?"

"That's right!"

"... Unbelievable," Renji muttered, shaking his head and suddenly seeing the girl in a new light.

"Not really, considering what I was before I got here," Kagome sighed, shrugging her shoulders and absently continuing to follow her Captain. Who had stopped when she said that. She ran right into his back.

"Owww!" Rubbing her nose, she glanced up at her Captain in question.

"Higurashi, are you saying you remember your life before you came to the Soul Society?" the Kuchiki head asked, glancing back to her in visible curiosity. It was a look she'd never seen on his stoic face, and she found that it suited him... when he wasn't being a jerk.

"Well... yeah. Doesn't everyone?" she asked, blinking in surprise when both males shook their heads, "...Ohhh. Well, I don't know what to tell you then. Maybe I'm just defective, or something?"

"Or something," Renji muttered, unaware of the tick developing in Kagome's left eye.

_'Don't strangle your Lieutenant, Kagome. It's bad for you health in general.'_

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Renji parted ways with the two to get some supplies together. With a gesture, Byakuya turned, indicating for her to follow him again. She did so absently. After all, she was still thinking about why she still had her memories of her life time when, apparently, they were supposed to have been wiped.

_'Damn Shikon Jewel. It's always mucking things up. It even screwed up my afterlife!'_ Kagome thought, glaring angrily at no one in particular. Byakuya, on the other hand, was going over some other interesting things about his young subordinate.

_'It makes sense. She acts just slightly differently than the other Shinigami. What's more, her spiritual pressure is just... off. It's almost too pure.'_

"Captain?"

He turned just slightly in a show of acknowledgement. Kagome steeled her nerves and thought _'Now or never!'_ before she blurted out her question.

"Can I please have my hair ribbon back?" He stopped, then actually turned to face her. The former priestess gulped audibly as he literally stalked up to her. She almost backed up a couple of steps when he stopped in front of her. Almost. But, she knew that would be a sign of weakness. She remembered at least **that** much from when she used to deal with demons.

_'Damn it, but does he have to be so tall?'_ He leaned down until their noses almost touched, their warm breaths mingling.

"Tell me something, Higurashi," Byakuya muttered, making the girl flush darkly. It hadn't been a question, "Have you completed your Flash Step yet?"

She shook her head quietly. Inwardly he smirked. "Then no. Until you complete your Flash Step, you are not to ask for it. Your ribbon is mine until you prove otherwise. Don't forget that, Hi-gu-ra-shi."

He straightened up and turned away smugly. She didn't need to know that her precious blue ribbon was tied securely to his wrist under his tekkou glove. She'd get it back... once she'd completed the training he'd set for her. Really, though, she was just too easy to tease!

Kagome stared after her Captain, hand against her rapidly beating heart and cheeks flushed crimson. Then, she whispered the first thing that came to her mind and chastised herself for being so ridiculous.

"Arrogant jerk!"

"Are you coming, Higurashi," he called from over his shoulder. Again, it was not a question.

"Y-Yes sir!" she stuttered, running to catch up with the dark-haired noble.

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Kagome shivered, biting her lip to keep her teeth from chattering loudly, and surveyed her surroundings next to her Captain. Damn, but it was cold out here! Had she known what area they were headed to, she'd have grabbed a cloak!

_'I'm freezing!'_ the shinigami thought, rubbing her arms for meager warmth, then stopped and glanced at Byakuya out of the corner of her eye. He looked unmoved as ever. And he certainly wasn't shaking from the cold! _'How is he not freezing?'_

"Cold, Higurashi?" Renji poked the small girl in the back, and was rewarded with an angry glare and the snapping of her teeth.

"No! Never! I'm just shaking from the excitement of getting the chance to play in the snow!" she responded just a tad to cheerfully, warning the Lieutenant of oncoming verbal abuse, "Of course I'm cold, you jerk! I'm not chattering my teeth for the hell of it!"

"You really need to learn some respect," the red-head sighed, mussing up her long hair and starting down the slope. He wasn't sure why, but she just reminded him a little too much of Rukia to get completely mad at her. Kagome snarled and attempted to pat down her now frazzled hair.

"I only respect people that earn it!" she huffed, glancing away in embarrassment when she noted her Captain had been watching her with a raised brow.

"Are you really that cold?" The question had been unexpected, and she whipped around to face him. Was he... concerned about her? No! That couldn't be!

Still, she nodded silently, and he almost seemed to sigh in defeat. In the next movement, he unwound the scarf he always wore from around his neck and settled it on her loosely. She gaped at him in shock, her face slowly heating up in awe. She **knew** what this scarf signified. It was an heirloom passed down in his family to every head of the Kuchiki house.

"Captain! Why-!"

"Because you'll be useless if you get sick, Higurashi," he merely replied, turning away and starting down the snowy hill. The former priestess blinked, then smiled gently.

"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki," she whispered. Then she glanced down at the scarf. It smelled really nice. She blushed. There was **no way** she would ever tell anyone that she thought her Captain smelled 'nice'! Dislodging her train of thought, she sprinted down the hilll to catch up with the Squad 6 Leader and its Lieutenant, whom were already at the bottom and waiting for her.

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A/N: And the end! Next chapter will be up soon! Don't forget to review!

Thanks guys! Hope to see you soon!


	3. The Purple People Eater

Summary

Kagome's mission goes awry. Luckily, her savior comes in the form of a highly familiar perverted monk. Byakuya is not happy with this new addition to his subordinate's family...

A/N: Time for an update! I know it's been a while since I've gone into this storyline again, but I really hope you guys enjoy this little shot of fun! I have no idea where the title for this came from, but I kept it because it was amusing.

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It was supposed to have been a simple retrieval mission. That was it! Unfortunately, things were never simple when you factored a trouble magnet former priestess into the equation.

Everything was shot to hell at this point. Knowing that she going to try and go back to her Captain in complete failure, Kagome Higurashi threw herself to the side and dodged the Hollow that swung at her with it's tail. She was not going to die here in the Rukon District!

_'I still have to make Captain Kuchiki give me my ribbon back!'_ the former priestess thought, ducking a swipe and hitting the dirt roughly. This particular Hollow had been an experiment from Squad 12 that had gotten loose. It was part of her job to bring it back as unharmed as possible. Unfortunately, the extra ability the Captain of the Research and Development squad had bestowed on the snake-like creature allowed it to swallow a zanpakutou and use it's abilities temporarily.

And, lucky her, it had swallowed hers. Gritting her teeth, Kagome flung herself onto the nearest rooftop in order to dodge the beam of light the Hollow shot from its' mouth. It was interesting to find out what her blade was capable of, but she didn't want it tested on herself, damn it!

"Stupid Squad 12 Captain!" she hissed under her breath. So now, with her zanpakutou currently out of reach, she was hard-pressed to win. Her Kido was sub-par at best, and her aim was even worse. Had she been paying better attention, she would have seen the creature's tail sneaking up behind her. Instead, it smacked her down from the roof and she hit the ground harshly with a loud "Oomph!"

"Heheheheheh! you are weak, shinigami!" the Hollow rumbled out, the rictus grin fitted onto it's mask never once faltering, "Your people were fools to send you here alone! Now, your soul will be mine!" In truth, the shinigami had begged to go into this area alone, thinking she could handle the situation if it got bad. Now, she wished she'd allowed the extra help. Diving forward, the Hollow's mouth opened wide, ready to swallow the girl whole.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut in remorse, knowing, without a doubt, that she wouldn't be quick enough to get away from the fatal blow.

_'If only I'd taken the time to learn the Flash Step! I'm sorry... Inuyasha... Captain.'_ The instant before the Hollow managed to pounce on her, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and jerk her into the air. Kagome's eyes popped open in surprise and she tried to get a look at her savior. All she saw was the flutter of dark colored robes.

The Hollow roared, furious at being denied its' prey. "You wish to interfere? Then I will devour your soul as well, boy?" It opened its' mouth to deliever another shriek of annoyance, but the noise was cut off abruptly when several ofuda were plastered to the snake-like creature, rendering it completely immobile. Kagome gaped in awe and turned her head. She knew of only **one** person that fought like that!

"I apologize, my unfortunate friend, but I prefer my soul to remain intact. I hear being devoured is quite an atrocious deal," the man spoke mockingly, winking jovially at the gobsmacked girl on her knees next to him, "Wouldn't you agree, Lady Kagome?"

"M-M-Miro... ku?"

"You seem surprised to see me, milady," the monk answered, now smiling gently at the stunned shinigami, "Is it because I snatched you away from death's door and an untimely demise?" Whatever he might have said next never came out because Kagome had leapt at her old friend like an overly excited puppy and wrapped him in a surprisingly crushing embrace.

"Don't be ridiculous, you idiot! I thought I'd never see you again after the last time I went down the well! I missed you guys," Kagome muttered, flushing in embarrassment as she pulled away. Other than being a few years older, Miroku still looked the same. He even still wore the rosary beads around his left hand. "Hey! Your curse was lifted, right?"

"Yes, however, I regained the use of the Wind Tunnel when I passed on to this world," the dark-haired monk explained, pulling the beads aside just slightly. A wind began rippling in the direction of the void so he slapped the blue beads back in place quickly. "I don't have to worry about it sucking me in, though I am still susceptible to large amounts of poison."

"F-fools! How dare... you dismiss... me!" the Hollow hissed out, its' eyes an eerie bright red in anger.

"Ah, yes. Milady, we will catch up later. For now, let's be rid of this troublesome fellow," Miroku announced, grinning good-naturedly and jingling his staff in anticipation. "If you'll step behind me..." His fingers wrapped around the rosary on his hand in preparation to let loose the Wind Tunnel.

"Wait, Miroku! I have to bring him in alive! He's one of Squad 12's experiments!" Kagome explained, putting a hand on his arm to stop him, "Maybe we could slap a few more sutras on him and get him over there so I can get my zanpakutou back. He did swallow it, after all." Miroku winced in sympathy and nodded.

"I think that would be an excellent idea, Lady Kagome. You need that particular part of your soul to do battle on this spiritual plane." When all of this mess was over, the priestess wanted to find out what had happened in the past.

"Thanks. And you don't have to call me Lady here. I'm not anyone important in this world and I don't really want to draw attention to my past." Miroku nodded and placed a few more sutras on the Hollow. He decided he wouldn't let her know how many people remembered all the brave things she did in her life and the past. Those that were touched by the tragedy of the Shikon no Tama would never forget its' guardian's bravery.

_'I am sure that several of the Captains know who she was. If not, well, they'll find out more than soon enough.'_

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"So let me get this straight. you encountered the target," Renji Abarai started, a neutral tone in his normally angry voice.

"Yes sir!"

"And you engaged said target **by yourself**."

"Yes sir!"

"Said target proceeded to **swallow** your zanpakutou and began to use its' effects against you!"

"... Yes sir." She had not enjoyed that part either. Normal arrows? No big deal. Dodging purifying arrows of doom? Hell in a handbasket.

"And now you've brought said target back, plastered in these... things, and want Captain Kurotsuchi to retrieve your zanpakutou?" Observing the thorough dressing down she was getting from her Lieutenant, Byakuya knew that several things weren't adding up. A low-level recruit shinigami like Higurashi shouldn't have been able to take care of this problem by herself. In fact, the only reason he'd sent her to that particular district on her own was because he **knew** the Hollow hadn't been heading in that general direction.

_'And yet, here she stands, target in hand, and fidgeting as per usual,'_ the noble thought, placing a hand next to one of the pieces of paper littering the Hollow and watching with veiled fascination as it sparked and glowed in reaction to his prescence.

"Higurashi." Normally, he didn't interrupt Renji's rants, as he felt they just weren't important, but curiosity was building in him, "What are these papers?"

"They're sutras, sir. They subdue and contain spirit energy by drawing from the user's energy to supply them."

"In otherwords, like an outdated version of the Bakudo spells we are capable of using," Byakuya summarized, pinning the fidgety girl with a look that had her frozen. Kagome swallowed. He was going to want an explaination on how she was able to use sutras when her Bakudo was abominably weak. She couldn't even hold another new recruit.

"How the hell are you able to use **those** when you can't even keep up a Bakudo, Higurashi?" And because Renji had asked the question that both men were so curious about, Kagome couldn't keep up the charade any longer. Instead, she hung her head in shame and refused to meet their gazes.

"Because... I wasn't the one to use them," she admitted quietly; guiltily. Inwardly, Byauya was a little disappointed that she'd lied to them. Outwardly, though, he showed no change in his cool demeanor. Renji was a little more expressive.

"Oh? You think it's okay to lie to your superiors?"

"No! I just wanted to show you that I **can** be useful!" Higurashi snapped, glaring angrily up at the red-head towering over her. If the Lieutenant didn't know any better, he would think the girl was going to start crying. "I barely passed the academy requirements, and I'm still basically taking remedial lessons! I just... I wanted to do something right for once instead of screwing up! I know how to use sutras! I just don't understand why my powers are so weak when I could do so much more so much better when I was alive!"

"What do you mean 'better'?" Byakuya asked before he could stop himself. She turned to him and sighed.

"I was much stronger when I was alive. It's almost like... like there's a seal on my powers or something. I don't understand!"

"So... if you didn't do this, who did?" Renji sighed, not in the mood to try and figure out if Higurashi actually **had** some kind of seal on her abilities. It would explain why she could barely make a dent in her Kido and Bakudo.

"That would be me, my friends," a male voice spoke from the shadows. A jingling noise made the two males wary in anticipation. The man that was revealed, though, threw them off. He was a civilian!

"And who, exactly, are you?" Byakuya asked coldly, sharp eyes narrowing and taking in the intruder.

"I am but a humble monk, gentlemen, and an old friend of Kagome's," Miroku stated, holding up a hand in peace as he sidled up next to Kagome, "We go way back, actually. My name is Miroku."

"But-! You're just a civilian!" Renji sputtered, staring down the other man in shock. Miroku nodded and wrapped an arm around the priestess's shoulder amiably. Kagome jumped, making her two leaders tense suddenly.

"That's right! I'm just a civlian, but I do know a thing or two about spirit extermination. These sutras will hold for quite some time, so, no need to worry." That being said, the monk gazed down at Kagome in a solemn way. "Don't worry, my dear. We'll figure out why your powers are acting out so strangely."

"R-right. Thanks," Kagome muttered, avoiding the three mens' gazes. For a moment, she thought she was going to lose it. She'd been noticing that her abilities weren't working nearly as well as they used to, and that worried her a lot. Being the former guardian of the Shikon no Tama, she should have been able to do all the things a shinigami was capable of easily, plus more! Instead, she was struggling to not fall behind and be sent back to the academy in shame.

"Higurashi," Renji started gruffly, making her glance up at him. He was eyeing Miroku in a way that screamed he didn't trust the monk as far as he could throw him.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"... Has this man... been bothering you?" Kagome tilted her head to the side innocently.

"Eh?"

"Wha-!" Miroku sputtered suddenly, removing his arm from around the priestess.

"Has he been bothering you?" Renji restated, his hand automatically straying to the hilt of his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Byakuya making the same movement.

"I-I don't underst-!"

"What, exactly, are you insinuating, sir?" Miroku cried dramatically.

"Answer yes or no, Higurashi," the Captain finally spoke up, "Has he been harrassing you?" If so... well, this 'monk' would meet a very unpleasant end. No one harrassed his subordinates other than himself!

"Harrassing?" Kagome asked, thinking for a moment before hesitantly meeting Byakuya's cool grey eyes, "Like... regular harrassment or sexual?"

The noble **actually** twitched murderously. Renji, however, was much more willing to be vocal.

"YOU GUTLESS PIG!" the Lieutenant roared, ripping his zanpakutou from its' sheath and swinging at a gaping Miroku. The monk yelped and jumped back, blocking the strike with his shakujo out of pure reflex.

"Lieutenant!" the former priestess gasped, moving to stop the fight. A firm hand on her arm halted her progress and she followed the arm up to her unknowingly furious leader. "Captain?"

"Leave Renji to this, Higurashi. We need to go to Squad 12's grounds to get Captain Kurotsuchi to extract your zanpakutou from this Hollow." With that being said, the head of the Kuchiki family began to lead the shinigami away from the brawl.

"Wait! Captain! I need to-!" Twisting around, Kagome addressed an occupied Renji. "Lieutenant! Miroku may be the biggest pervert I've ever known, but he's still my friend! So please don't kill him?" The red-head stopped, staring at the younger fighter in confusion. That pleading look on her face was hard to resist. In fact, he wasn't gonna be able to resist it.

"... Fine. But that doesn't mean I can't beat him within an inch of his life." Turning back, he slashed out at the monk again. Miroku nimbly dodged and sent Kagome a surprisingly cold glare.

"I save you and this is the thanks I get, Kagome?" The priestess shrugged nonchalantly and allowed Captain Kuchiki to steer her away.

"Think of it this way, Miroku. This is kind of payback for all those times you got away with groping me." Byakuya almost twitched again, but he restrained the urge. It took even more restraint on his part to keep from unleashing his Shikai on the flabbergasted male.

_'Let him even __**try**__ to come near Rukia!'_ the leader of Squad 6 thought visciously, already imagining the bloody mess with relish.

"Come along, Higurashi."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Wait! Ka-Kagome!"

"Get back here, swine! Roar, Zabimaru!"

All in all, her superiors' first impression of her old friend was not very flattering.

_'Oh well, maybe next time!'_ Kagome thought, grinning sharply at the screams that echoed in the background,_ 'If Sango couldn't teach him, maybe this will.'_

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A/N: Ahahahahaa! Not the way I wanted it to turn out, but I got my favorite part for Renji in there. I could imagine him yelling that out. Anyways, you guys know what to do! Review, of course!

Until next time then!


	4. Nicknames

Summary

Renji sends Kagome with a message for Squad 11's Captain. Kagome's plan to remain unnoticed goes up in smoke.

A/N: Well, for all of you wanting an update, you're in luck. Lookit what I got! And the infamous meeting between Yachiru and Kagome commences! OOCness ensues! Enjoy!

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"Take this to Squad 11?" Kagome asked, staring up at her Lieutenant in speculation.

"Simple enough, right?" Renji Abarai countered, letting loose an evil grin that made the former priestess shiver. Her superior officer could be scary when he was nursing a hangover.

"Very well, sir. I guess… I'll be back soon," she replied uncertainly, backing away slowly as the redhead turned away and dismissed her with a shooing motion.

"Good. You're dismissed, soldier." Bowing politely, Kagome left the room. After her spiritual presence faded from his senses, Renji slumped over into his desk and groaned loudly. His head hurt too damn much to want to even consider paperwork!

"Damn that Rangiku! Next time, I swear I won't listen to her!" he muttered, closing his eyes against the sunlight streaming through the window, "Just a few drinks my ass!"

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Kagome hummed quietly to herself as she turned the corner. With Miroku around, she'd begun feeling so much lighter and happier. Now, all she had to do was hopefully find Sango. She was still wondering what exactly had happened once she'd left the Feudal Era, and her old friend wasn't exactly being very forthcoming in the information department.

"I'm respecting his wishes right now, but if he doesn't tell me soon, I'll resort to drastic measures to get what I want," the former priestess murmured, grinning psychotically at the thought of tying down the wayward monk and tickling him to death.

"My, my. That is quite the scary grin for such a lovely thing to wear," an amused voice called out, startling Kagome enough that she jumped and almost dropped her scroll. Looking up, she noticed a dark-haired man leaning against the wall casually, giving her a smirk.

"Ummm…"

"Yeah. It was almost creepy enough to compete with the Lieutenant's looks when she wants candy. Right, Yumichika?" another man joined in, jumping down from the roof he was sitting on. This one was bald, and the sun glinted off his shiny head as he approached.

"O-oh! I'm… sorry?" Kagome stuttered, a little worried as the two men advanced on her. The bald one waved her off and pinned her with a look.

"So, what squad are you from?" Yumichika, she assumed, asked, looking her over again, "Surely not from ours. I would certainly remember a pretty girl like you if that were the case."

"Squad 6. I need to deliver a message to Squad 11 for the Captain from Lieutenant Abarai," the dark-haired girl replied, swallowing her nerves and standing up straight.

"From Renji, huh?" the bald guy murmured, rubbing his chin before grinning, "Well, you're in luck. We're from Squad 11. My name is Ikkaku Madarame, and this is Yumichika Ayasegawa. How about you?"

"Kagome Higurashi. Nice to meet you," she replied, bowing once again.

"It suits you," Yumichika stated, sighing quietly as he watched the clueless girl blink innocently. It was so unfair that all the gorgeous girls were so entrenched in the fact that they **couldn't see it**! It was like Orihime all over again.

_'Except... less cleavage. At least, a little less.'_

"Heeeyyy..." a childish voice suddenly interrupted the three, causing them all to look up. A little pink-haired girl in a shinigami uniform landed uncerimoniously on Ikkaku's head and poked the shiny surface, "Whatcha doin', Pachinko-head? Yun-Yun?"

"I told you to not call me that, Lieutenant!" Ikakku whined, trying to pull the drooling girl off the top of his head with no success.

"... Pa... chinko?" Kagome murmured quietly under her breath, watching as the bald man argued with the little girl that reminded her a little of Rin. The pink-haired girl giggled happily and pet his head before jumping off... and knocking the taller person down in the process. Kagome sweatdropped. Was this kid for real?

"Lieutenant Kusajishi. We were just about to show Miss Higurashi to Squad 11's barracks," Yumichika replied, completely used to the antics of his friend and the small child. "She's delivering a message to Captain Zaraki from Lieutenant Abarai." Kagome blinked in shock and stared at him first, then the tiny Lieutenant.

"... EH? You're a Lieutenant?" the priestess gasped, blue eyes wide as the girl came up to her to study her. Dark pink eyes studied her intently with a slight gleam before she smiled again and pointed up at Kagome's nose.

"Koneko-chan!" The shinigami blinked, then blushed darkly. The last time she'd been called that was by her mother when she was a little girl. Mama had always said she was as cute as a kitten, so it was ironic that this little girl had just blurted such a thing out.

"Congratulations. You've just earned a nickname from the Lieutenant," Yumichika murmured, covering up a laugh with a delicate sounding cough.

"B-b-but... My name's Kagome!" the older looking girl stuttered, sending a pleading look at the amused man to her left. Yumichika waved it off and started to explain.

"She makes up nicknames for almost everyone, so I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"You're here to see Kenny?" Yachiru asked, elicting a nod from the former time traveler, "Then let's take you home, Koneko-chan!"

"I'm not a pet, Lieutenant!" Kagome managed to squeak out as the small girl grabbed her wrist and started dragging her in the direction of the barracks, "I'm just a messenger!"

"I think you'll like Kenny! He's so much fun! What squad are you from, Koneko-chan?"

"You know, it actually fits her," Yumichika murmured, following the two females back to their barracks. Ikkaku had to agree. The small woman was kinda like a kitten.

"... Squad 6." Yachiru stopped and stared up at the taller girl in awe.

"You're in Byakushi's squad?" Kagome almost face-palmed at her Captain's nickname. Had he ever **heard** her say that? It sounded so... so... so...

_'Cute? What am I thinking?'_ Knowing that her voice just wouldn't want to work properly, she simply nodded as she was again dragged off. For a little kid, Yachiru was **strong**! _'Please! Someone save me!'_

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"In what universe did you believe it was okay to send someone like Higurashi to deliver a message to Zaraki," Byakuya Kuchiki stated coldly, because he didn't ask, to his cowed Lieutenant, "I ordered you to deliver that message to him personally, not an underling that can barely defend herself."

"I apologize, Captain Kuchiki. I was finishing some paperwork up and thought it would be harmless to send someone to take that message over. In truth, Higurashi was the first person I bumped into," Renji answered, knowing that his superior was more than a little protective of their only female teammate in the squad. In a way, he could understand why. Kagome had the tendancy to remind him a little of Rukia, in attitude and build.

Well, he was sorely regretting the idea now. Especially considering she'd been gone for more than two hours.

_'I'll have to go get her. There's no telling what Zaraki will do if he finds out that she's from my squad,'_ Byakuya thought, whirling away from his nervous looking Lieutenant and stalking down the Squad 6 halls. He had a subordinate to find.

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"Umm... It's nice to meet you, Captain Zaraki," Kagome muttered, bowing politely to the enormous man sitting in front of her. He was watching her very carefully, his visible eye narrowed sharply as he tracked her spiritual prescence.

"You... You're supressing your spiritual pressure," Kenpachi drawled, sitting back and observing the way the small girl suddenly flinched, "Why?" Ikakku and Yumichika both gaped at her. Yachiru merely grinned knowingly. She **knew** Kenny would like Koneko-chan!

"Umm... I'm just... delivering a message. It's from Lieutenant Abarai," the former priestess avoided the question, proffering the scroll to him and hoping beyond hope that he'd just take it and dismiss her. The man didn't even bother to reign in his prescence. Her energy was screaming at her to buffer him away and show him who was boss.

"From Renji, huh?" the Captain murmured, taking the scroll and setting it aside, "That means you're in Kuchiki's Squad." It wasn't a question, Kagome noted.

"Yes sir."

"You haven't answered my question," he reminded her, grinning manically as he pushed himself to his feet, "Why are you hiding your spiritual pressure?"

"I... didn't know I was?" the shinigami tried, grinning sheepishly and taking a few steps back. Screw intimidation tactics! Kenpachi Zaraki scared the piss outta her! She'd heard what he was like. Only challenging people that he thought were strong. She **definitely** didn't want to draw the berserker Captain's attention to her. In any way.

_'Seems that plan is backfiring,'_ Kagome thought, swallowing delicately before bowing politely and scooting against the wall to the door. "Well... I'm... done here! I'll just head back to-!" A large hand blocked her exit and she followed the arm up to the looming form of the big Captain. "Eep!"

"Too bad, cause I'm not," Kenpachi mused, sending the former time traveler a grin that made her want to cry. He wanted answers, and she had **no idea** how to explain things to him! "How come you're hiding your true power?"

Ikkaku and Yumichika both sighed and shook their heads. It would be much easier on her if she'd just be honest.

"I... uhh... I-I-I'm just a new recruit!" she suddenly burst out, blue eyes wide and wild as she stared up at him helplessly, "I don't **have** that kind of power!"

"... Let's test that, then. Draw your sword and take your best shot," the Captain decided, stepping away from her and pulling open his haori, "Go on. Slice me open." Kagome gaped at him in utter horror and shook her head rapidly.

"N-N-No way! Are you nuts? You're a **Captain**! There's no way I could put a scratch on you! Be-besides I didn't bring my Zanpakuto with me!"

"Hmm? That's careless of you. You should always have your sword on you; after all, you never know who's going to challenge you," Kenpachi mused out loud, giving her another grin that had her knees jerking in fear.

"R-Right. Thanks for the advice, Captain," the former priestess murmured, swallowing again when his gaze traveled down her and back up.

"Next time, bring your zanpakuto, cause I'm going to fight you when I see you again." The smaller shinigami bristled a little at the almost order, but reigned her temper in. It would be a bad idea to let loose on a guy like Kenpachi. "You scared... pussycat?" Kagome wasn't sure whether to be surprised or insulted at the intentional joke.

"More than you'll ever know, Captain."

"Kenny! I think Koneko-chan should come over to play more often!" Yachiru butted in, grinning happily up at the much taller male, "I bet it would be a lot of fun!"

"Yeah. It would be fun, Yachiru," the Captain replied, taking a large step back and smirking at the visibly relieved look that flitted across the girl's face, "In fact, I have another idea that would be fun to try right now. It'll definitely make the little kitty let loose."

This time, Kagome really did visibly bristle. "My name is Kagome, Captain. And I don't appreciate what you just said."

"Kagome, eh? You don't even know what I'm talking about... Kagome. It's just a little game to teach you to have some fun." Kenpachi reached out a hand to her again-

"And what **game** do you believe this would entail, Zaraki."

-only to be thwarted by the girl's Captain. Kagome sucked in a breath in shock. She hadn't even **felt** his spirit energy approaching, much less see him Flash Step in front of her.

"Captain Kuchiki..."

"Kuchiki. You're spoiling the fun," Kenpachi growled, sneering at the noble in annoyance. And he was going to so enjoy their game.

"Well, you're 'fun' is no longer acceptable. Come, Higurashi. You've been away for far too long. I still need to speak with several other people today about lack of discipline," Byakuya intoned coldly, turning and sweeping away from the enormous Captain. Kagome stood there, dumbfounded for a second, as she watched her elegant leader start to waltz out the door.

"Byakushi! You better let Koneko-chan come over to play a little. You can't hog her for yourself!" Yachiru announced, grinning when the only reply she received was for the stoic man to glance back at her with a raised brow before striding over to the priestess again and snatching her wrist to drag her away with him.

"Come by when your Captain's not being an ass, pussycat," Kenpachi added, grinning manically when the dark-haired girl "eeped" as she was pulled out the door. "And bring your damn sword!"

A few moments later, Ikkaku sighed and walked away, bored at the fact that a fight had been circumvented.

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Kagome was a little worried. Not only was her Captain angry; she could feel his aura screaming annoyance, but his grip on her wrist was cutting off the circulation to her hand.

"Umm... Captain! You're grip... it's really tight," the former time traveler whimpered, not daring to meet his steely gaze in any way, "I can't feel my fingers."

He remained silent, the only indication that he heard her was his fingers loosening slightly as he continued to pull her down the street. She breathed a sigh of relief and twitched her digits to allow the blood to flow back in them.

"... Captain? I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble," she started again, her voice quiet and contrite as she lowered her head in apology.

"Do not blame yourself for Zaraki's habit of needling people until they attack him," Byakuya replied, letting the ball of anger in his chest uncurl and settle. She obviously knew that he was upset, but it wasn't because he had to deal with Kenpachi. It wasn't even from Renji's slacking, or the incident in general. If it had been any other recruit, he was sure he wouldn't have reacted so violently.

It was because it involved her.

_'But... does this mean I have moved on from Hisana? Am I desecrating her memory by even considering another woman?'_ The Captain shook his head inwardly and forced himself to peel his fingers from Kagome's wrist. _'It matters not. She is my subordinate, therefore my responsibility to protect. Just like all the others.'_

"But still, I worried you, and for that I apologize," Kagome argued, unknowingly hitting the nail right on the head. The Kuchiki head almost flinched but managed to control the urge. If she ever knew...

"... Very well. Apology accepted." The priestess visibly twitched at the easy acceptance and restrained the need to level an annoyed look at the nobleman. They walked in silence for a few moments, the Captain slowing his steps minutely until she was no longer behind him. When she sidled up next to him, he glanced at her and asked in confusion,

"Why Koneko-chan?"

"I-I have n-no idea, sir!" Kagome spluttered and flushed horribly, hoping beyond hope that the nickname wouldn't stick.

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A/N: This one was fun, but slightly difficult to do. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Next one will hopefully be up soon!

Until then, please review!


	5. Storm

Summary

On an off chance, Kagome bumps into Rukia...

A/N: And here we have another One-Shot. And don't think I haven't noticed that these are getting longer. Trust me, I see it. I just don't know if it will be continued. I hope you enjoy this!

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Since the entire ordeal of almost being executed for what she thought was a petty crime, Rukia Kuchiki had been ordered, not only by her Captain but her brother as well, to take it easy. It had been almost two months since then, and she still hadn't fully regained all of her shinigami powers.

_'Damn that Ichigo. He drained me dry.'_ Shaking her head at the annoyed thought, the adopted noble continued back to her home. Things were looking up though, in her opinion. Byakuya wasn't nearly as strict as he used to be. He even spoke on several occasions to her. When her older brother wasn't busy with Squad 6 work, he was even somewhat amiable.

He'd had quite the confessional with her; seeing as he revealed that his late wife, whom Rukia resembled greatly, was, in fact, her true blood older sister. The only regret the young shinigami had was that she hadn't had the chance to meet her. Rukia couldn't lay all the blame on Hisana, though. Life in Hanging Dog **was** hard. Had she not possessed the abilities that she did, she wouldn't have even left the slums.

_'And I probably would have ended up a prostitute.'_ She couldn't hate Hisana for wanting a better life. And babies were **hard** to take care of. They were almost always crying because they wanted food or shelter or even love. She understood why she'd been left behind.

_'Nii-sama said that she searched for me every day. That she felt horribly guilty for leaving me behind. She wanted to be a family still. She just didn't have the strength to carry on,'_ the dark-haired girl thought sadly, large violet eyes staring at the ground. So busy was she in her thoughts, Rukia didn't see the other person turn the corner and run right into her. The two went tumbling down in a tangle of limbs.

"Owww! That hurt!" a feminine voice whimpered to the right. Rukia glared over at the girl, intent on giving her a verbal lashing. She stopped though, when she locked gazes with a pair of brightly sparkling blue eyes. "I'm sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going. Lost in thought, you know?"

The noble blinked for a second and tilted her head. "... Huh?" Great. How eloquent.

"I really do apologize."

"It's okay!" Rukia replied quickly, scrambling up and dusting herself off, "I was caught up in my musings as well." She decided to forgive the girl and held out a hand. Those blue eyes blinked in surprise at the gesture. Then she smiled and took the offer.

"I guess we both need to pay better attention, eh?" the girl giggled, standing and brushing the dust from her robes. Shinigami robes. "My name's Kagome Higurashi. What about you?"

"I'm Rukia. It's nice to bump into you," the noble joked, smirking in amusement at the pun. Kagome laughed and shook her head.

They talked for another few minutes as they gathered the noble girl's things off the ground. One topic led to another, which then kept them in eachother's company for far longer than either girl anticipated.

Soon enough, they were discussing hard-headed friends- and their tendencies to just jump in to things without ever thinking- over lunch and afternoon tea.

It was weird, but for once, she felt like this conversation wasn't awkward or stilted at all. When she'd been in the world of the living, the people there, aside from Ichigo, had been difficult to talk to. The smaller shinigami had been starting to warm up to Orihime, and Chad had been easy to deal with, but most everyone else didn't always understand her humor or her quirks.

With Kagome, there was a sense that she wouldn't be judged or thought of as strange. Ever. It was... comforting.

Thunder rumbled overhead, startling the two girls from their laughter. Peeking out of the tea shop, Rukia noticed the ominous clouds and repressed a sigh. "I need to get going. It's supposed to rain today, and I still have to finish my list."

"I could help you finish it, if you want?" Kagome offered, smiling genuinely when the noble girl blinked at her, then nodded in silence, "Right then! Let's hurry! Otherwise, we'll get caught in the rain!"

The two shinigami quickly managed to gather the rest of Rukia's supplies and had started back to her home when the sky rumbld loudly again before opening up and dumping rain on everyone outside. They shrieked and ducked under the nearest awning, laughing at their bedraggled appearances.

"Oh! I'll be soaked by the time I get back to the barracks," the former priestess grumbled, ringing out a little water from her sleeve and twisting more from her long hair.

"My home is just here," Rukia offered, pointing in the direction of a grand looking building that was surrounded by a sturdy wall. Kagome almost gulped. She had no idea that Rukia was noblility, and here she was, acting like they were friends. The shinigami sighed inwardly and slapped her head.

_'Stupid Kagome!'_

"I don't want to intrude-!"

"Nonsense! If you trek all the way back to the barracks, you might catch a cold, Kagome!" the smaller girl protested, giving a short glare and taking the other girl's arm, "It's logical to stay with me for a while. Besides, it's also better to be safe than sorry."

"Are... Are you sure?" Kagome asked uncertainly, glancing from the impending walls to the deserted street in the direction of the Squad 6 baracks.

"Yes. Now, come on! The faster we get in, the sooner we can get out of these wet clothes!"

"Ohhh... All right. Lead on, o great one!" Rukia snorted inelegantly and elbowed the other girl. Gathering their bags and tying off what could be ruined by the rain, they counted to three and dove into the downpour.

"This way. If you don't follow me, you might get lost," Rukia started, taking Kagome's wrist and dragging her in the direction of the manor. A few minutes later, they were underneath the roof of the large building and dripping water on the gleaming wood floors. Both were soaking wet at this point, but neither seemed to mind either. "I'll get us some towels and a change of clothes. It would be a good idea to take a hot bath too. You can stay until morning. I'm sure my brother won't mind."

"I don't want to be an inconvenience, Rukia," the former priestess replied, giving the other girl an awkward smile, "As soon as the rain stops, I'll make my way home."

"Didn't you hear?" the other girl asked, elicting a head shake from her new friend, "It's supposed to rain like this all night. You'll have to stay." Kagome blinked several times, then finally sighed and nodded as she followed the other girl into the intimidating mansion.

"I guess I have no choice." Looking around, she noticed something in the distance that had her stopping and staring. Rukia nearly pulled her over, but caught herself and turned to see what the other girl was looking at.

"That's... an archery range... right?"

"Yes. My brother uses it. He's very good. I'm not so adept at archery, though," the smaller girl admitted sheepishly, rubbing her wet hair and meeting Kagome's bright blue eyes, "Do you know how to use a bow and arrow?"

"Oh yes! I love archery! I just don't really have anywhere to practice without accidentally shooting someone," Kagome replied happily, smiling wistfully in remembrance of open fields and miles of hills. The Feudal Era had been a perfect place to hone her skills. Not to mention killing demons had made her quickly learn to be as accurate as possible. Otherwise she would have been eaten. "It's kind of ironic. I used to do archery when I was alive, and my Shikai takes the form of a bow."

"Does it? That's different!" the adopted Kuchiki asked, surprise etched on her features. She didn't know souls that crossed over could remember their previous lives? Then she got an idea. "Say, when it's not raining, do you want to come back and use the range?" The priestess turned to her and looked like she'd been offered the world on a golden platter.

"Are you serious? You'd let me do that?" Kagome squealed, happiness overflowing from her.

"I'd have to double check with Nii-sama, but I don't think he'll mind," Rukia answered smugly, not expecting for the other girl to hug her tightly suddenly.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Rukia, you're the best," the priestess chanted, swinging the smaller girl around in joy and flinging water everywhere, "Thank you so much!"

"You... You're welcome, Kagome." Eventually, the two girls continued on into the stately manor, Kagome trying not to stare openly and Rukia humming happily under her breath. She directed the priestess to a set of rooms, instructed her on how to use the surprisingly modern bathroom, and told her she'd bring her a change of clothes in a moment. Kagome thanked the noble girl again and immediately threw off her wet robes to sink into a hot bath with a sigh.

"This... is nice."

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"Nii-sama? Are you there?"

"Yes. What is it, Rukia?" Byakuya suppressed the urge to sigh at the hesitant tone in the young girl's voice. He still needed to fix that. After what had happened to her, he wasn't surprised that his adopted sister was still so wary around him. Standing from his desk, he started over towards the door to open it. He didn't want to talk to her through the rice paper.

_'Hisana, I am a terrible older brother, but I will try to make it up to Rukia.'_

"I have a guest here. She was caught in the rain with me, and I offered to let her stay until morning. Are you all right with that?" Hand inches away from opening the screen, he froze, a look of dawning comprehension on his face. Did this mean... Rukia had made a friend?

"Is she a friend?" After another moment of hesitation, the girl replied.

"I'd... like her to be, if it's all right?" Byakuya swung open the door and stared at his little sister. She seemed afraid, for the most part, but there was an eager glint in her eyes that he hadn't seen in a long time.

"If she is your friend, then she may stay," he replied quietly, reaching out and patting her wet head. He immediately noticed that she'd left a puddle and was still dressed in her wet clothes, "You need to get out of those. Otherwise, you'll get sick. Go." A happy smile lit up the solemn girl's face and she nodded eagerly, turning and sprinting down the hall. Byakuya watched her go with an air of amusement, then thought of something.

"What's her name, Rukia?"

"Kagome Higurashi!" The noble blinked, hiding his shock fairly well. So, his most secretive subordinate had befriended his sister. This was bound to be interesting.

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"Kagome?"

"Yes?"

"Nii-sama said it was all right for you to stay. You can use anything in the bathroom and the bedroom. The servants have started dinner, so I brought you a kimono to wear," Rukia explained through the door, setting the kimono on the dresser delicately, "If you need help with the ties or anything, I'll be just two doors down the hall."

"Okay! Thank you, Rukia!"

"You're welcome." The adopted noble turned and padded out of the room, ready for her own bath.

Back in the tub, Kagome rinsed the conditioner from her hair and scrubbed herself down until she was pink. She really liked the way the hair products had smelled; like sakura and plum blossoms. Then, draining the tub, she pulled herself out and wrapped up in a fluffy towel. Glancing in the mirror, she noticed that her cheeks were pink from the heat and had to grin. The last time she'd had such a nice bath had been... well... a while ago. All of her hygene moments nowadays consisted of quick showers in between training and missions.

Carefully brushing her wet hair out, she squeezed the excess water out and wrapped it up into a messy bun with a pale green hair ribbon. She'd fix it later. For now, she wanted to make sure she didn't get her borrowed kimono wet.

It felt like it had been eons since she'd dressed herself in a kimono. In truth, she'd always enjoyed getting dolled up to go to the festivals back when she was alive. Kagome grinned at her reflection in the mirror and smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles in the spring green color. It was a simple kimono, but elegant and beautiful, nonetheless. A dark green splattering of ivy leaves and vines crawled its' way over her left shoulder and peppered the bottom of the traditionally wide sleeves. The inner robe was a simple cream.

"Now if I could just tie my obi..." she muttered, picking up the yellow silk and sighing quietly, "I think I'm going to take Rukia up on her offer for help." Folding the delicate fabric and making sure that all the ties would hold so she wouldn't expose herself accidentally, the priestess stepped out of her temporary room and glanced down the hall in confusion.

_'Did she say two doors to the left? Or right?'_ Shrugging and deciding to try both ways, she started down the left and came to the second door.

"Hey Rukia?" she started, sliding the door open and stepping inside, "Can you help me with my obi? I'm not very good at the knots and-!" Kagome stopped when she noticed that the person in the room was not Rukia, but her Captain. He seemed just as surprised to see her; and considering he was clad in nothing but a pair of low-slung dark grey hakama, he certainly wasn't dressed to be expecting someone to barge in.

"Ca-Captain Kuchiki?" the shinigami squeaked, trying extremely hard to not stare at his pale toned chest, "W-W-What are you d-doing here?" And why wasn't he wearing all his clothes?

'_Okay, __**that**__ is a very bad idea to be thinking about.'_ Kagome wasn't blind. She knew that the handsome noble was very sought after by most of the female population in the Seiretei and the wealthier houses. She just wasn't supposed to think that way of her superior officer.

"I live here, Higurashi. Why are you standing in my doorway," Byakuya replied, schooling his expression after a moment of wide-eyed shock, "dressed up like that?"

"You-you live here?" Kagome spluttered, face dark red in embarrassment. At his nod, she thought she would faint, but then, another thought presented itself. "Is Rukia your sister?"

"Yes." The aristocrat took a step towards her, which seemed to suddenly snap her out of her daze because she backed away a few steps over the threshold.

"Oh. Okay." And then she slammed the door shut. In his face. Pivoting on her foot, Kagome started down the hall again in a disoriented fashion.

_'He's Rukia's brother... I just saw him half-naked!'_ Her face flamed the color of a tomato. This was bad. She wasn't supposed to have seen that! He was her leader! She wasn't supposed to think he was handsome and want to run her hands down those muscles and-

_'No! Stop it right now, Kagome-girl! Unattainable!'_

Byakuya blinked when she shut the door and grabbed the matching haori he'd planned on wearing. It was an oddly surreal experience to have a woman just walk away from him like Higurashi did. He wasn't quite sure whether to be impressed or annoyed. Throwing it on quickly and not taking the time to ensure everything was properly situated, he cracked the door open and stepped into the hall after his obviously embarrassed subordinate.

She'd only made it a few steps away before a hand grabbed her wrist. "Wait!"

Well, there went her dignity. Byakuya turned her to face him, an air of interest surrounding him as she resolutely refused to meet his eyes. Which meant that she was staring at his chest. Again. Changing her mind, she looked up to meet his gaze, cheeks red in shame and eyes wide and dark.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Captain! I didn't know! Honest! I just... I couldn't remember if Rukia said left or right, so I started left and I didn't mean to walk in on you and I-!" Was that amusement hidden in his eyes?

"You said you needed some help?" he interrupted, realizing that while he rather enjoyed making the young recruit squirm on a near daily basis, even this was probably more than enough embarrassment to last her for a week. At least.

"I can just get-!" she started to protest as he pulled the yellow silk from nerveless fingers.

"Nonsense. Lift your arms," Byakuya decided, smirking when she actually huffed and glared up at him. Did she even understand that she wasn't supposed to do that? Most women would have been thrilled to be in her position. After a moment, however, she finally lifted her arms and held them out. Stepping behind her, the young lord reached around and started winding her obi around her.

"I do realize you don't normally dress so... lavishly, but you can't even tie a knot?" He refused to comment on the fact that her hair smelled really good. It didn't help that sakura blossoms were a personal favorite scent of his. It was part of the reason he had so many of the trees around the manor. She huffed again in response.

"It's not that. On other people, I can tie some pretty intricate knots. I can do this one that makes the back look like a butterfly. I just... can't do them on myself," Kagome admitted, using every modicum she possessed to not twitch every time his fingers brushed against her sides. He was **her Captain** for crying out loud!

_'Doesn't stop him from being sexy in a pair of hakama... I did __**not**__ just think that!'_ She was sure her face was going to be permanantly red after this.

"I see. Well, this should do it." A simple bow would do for dinner, but then... "You almost look the part now."

"Thank you," the shinigami replied, then blinked, "Part? Of what?"

"Something is missing, undoubtedly," the Captain continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. An arrogant look flitted across his face as he reached over and plucked out the ribbon keeping her hair in its' messy bun. Kagome gaped at him as her long dark hair tumbled down her back in damp messy waves. What the hell was he doing? Stealing her hair ribbon **again**?

"Captain! Give that back!" He really did prefer her hair down, now that he thought about it.

"I think not," Byakuya replied, wrapping the pale green color around his fingers. He seemed far too smug. Was he... **playing** with her? She hadn't failed to notice that he seemed much more at ease in his own home than around the squad.

Well, two could play at this game!

"Fine then! It's not mine anyway. I was just borrowing it from Rukia." He blinked slowly, then reached over to pull her hair over one shoulder, unconsciously brushing his fingers against her cheek, and tied the ribbon halfway down the dark scented length. He then turned and started back to his room in a dignified manner, leaving an incredibly confused former priestess.

"Wha-! Why did you give it back?" Just before he shut the door, he glanced back and leveled her with an arrogant look. Arrogance was all he was willing to portray right now; especially when his mind was starting to become muddled over her. That... was bad.

"What would be the point in keeping it if it is not yours?" Then he shut the door, abruptly ending their conversation. Left there hanging with her mouth open, Kagome hissed the only thing that made any kind of sense to her.

"What the hell is **that** supposed to mean?"

Back in his room, Byakuya stared at the hand that had come into contact with her skin, then shook his head in denial.

_'Do not do this to yourself, Kuchiki. She is out of your reach.'_ His heart, though, was still beating fairly fast in remembrance. Would her skin be soft like that everywhere?

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Dinner that night was a rather awkward affair.

Rukia, noticing the odd atmosphere, took careful note of the way her new friend acted around her older brother. Not to mention the smug air about said older brother.

_'Does Nii-sama... like Kagome?'_

If that was the case, then this bore further investigation. Perhaps there was a way to help her melancholy sibling be happy again? He deserved at least that much. Especially after all the pain he'd been through.

Kagome would be good for him.

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"And just where have you been, young lady?" Miroku immediately asked the moment Kagome walked into her room the next morning.

"Having dinner with my new friend Rukia, who also happens to be the younger sister of Captain Kuchiki," the priestess drawled, shaking her head as Miroku tried to physically check her over for possible injuries. The monk had turned into **such** a mother hen. "They made me stay the night because they didn't want me getting sick."

"Really? You know the Kuchiki name is practically royalty in Soul Society," the dark-haired male mused, rubbing his cheek when she slapped him errantly from an absent grope, "To actually be allowed to stay is quite the honor, my friend."

"Yeah, well, I didn't know that they were siblings until I accidentally walked in on the Captain shirtless," the girl muttered, blushing furiously in remembrance of alabaster skin and toned abs...

"See something you liked, milady?" Miroku teased, waggling his eyebrows suggestively when she gasped at him.

"He's my **Captain**, Miroku!"

"You're face is very telling though, dearest Kagome." What an intriguing notion!

That earned him another slap and a boot out of her room.

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A/N: Sneaky Byakuya and a little plot development! I've always considered Rukia to be the kind of person that is awkard and unsure of herself around people, but hides it behind a bossy facade. Now, once she warms up to them, she becomes someone you can really rely on. I love deep characters! Theyre so much fun to work with!

Please remember to leave a review. K thanks!


	6. Target

Summary

She doesn't like it when people assume that she is weak. Miroku enlightens Renji and Byakuya on a little information on their secretive new recruit.

A/N: Time for another moment. And a surprisingly quick update! Please enjoy!

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"Let me just start with a quote from you, Captain. 'Barely defend herself' my ass!" Renji hissed, staring wide-eyed at the scene in front of the two men.

"... I retract that statement," Byakuya replied faintly. Really though, if he hadn't seen this with his own eyes he wouldn't have believed it. Eight grown men were on the ground in various states of semi-consciousness with Kagome standing over them as she cheerfully dusted off a young girl that was obviously a noble.

"I see you're causing a commotion as usual, Kagome," Miroku sighed, sidling up to the two girls and leaning down to check over the younger one, "Are you all right, young lady?" She huffed and glared up at him.

"Of course I am! This kind shinigami was more than enough help to get rid of these ruffians for me," the blonde girl replied, turning adoring eyes up to the priestess, "My thanks to you, Shinigami-chan! You have truly done my family justice by keeping me safe. As a reward, I will allow you to continue to protect me when my guards are unable to." Kagome stared wide-eyed at the girl, spluttering in shock.

"I-I'm sorry, but I was just trying to help! I can't protect you all the time! I've got a squad I'm pretty devoted to!" the dark-haired girl stuttered, turning pleading blue eyes onto her Captain suddenly. Byakuya swallowed quietly, unsure if he would even be able to properly respond with the way she way looking at him.

"Nonsense! You did a fine job just now! Your squad will be happy to let me patronize you for your excellent work!"

"Well... You'd have to take that up with Captain Kuchiki," Kagome countered quietly, hoping that the girl would just drop the subject. Instead, she turned wide green eyes at her.

"You work for Byakuya-sama? Well, that explains why you are so skilled! He must be informed immediately!"

"You... know Captain Kuchiki?" the priestess asked faintly, reaching over and unconsciously clutching the front of Miroku's robes. Her Captain didn't fail to notice the gesture, and he restrained the urge to smack the monk out of habit. Byakuya came to an epiphany a few seconds later; one that he wasn't really sure how to go about dealing with.

_'I do not like her clinging to other men.'_ He'd never had to worry about jealousy when he'd been with Hisana. She'd been completely devoted to him and him her. It was an all-together eye-opening experience to realize that he wished for Kagome to come to **him only** when she had problems. _'I have no prior claim to the girl. There is no need for such a ridiculous reaction.'_

Still...

"Monk, cease your coddling. Higurashi, explain what, exactly, has transpired here." The commands were sharp and the reactions were immediate. Kagome snapped to attention out of reflex, Renji twitched in preparation, and Miroku jerked away instinctively from the two girls. Rurichiyo, however, had stars in her eyes as she daintily bowed to the noble.

"Lord Kuchiki, I humbly request permission to keep this shinigami." Kagome twitched and sent a tiny glare at the little girl. What was she now? A pet?

"I apologize, Lady Rurichiyo, but Higurashi is vital to my squad's integrity. I'm afraid I simply couldn't allow such a thing," Byakuya replied serenely, despite the incredulous looks the other three people sent him. Renji choked, trying to hold back the urge to suddenly laugh, and instead turned away to cough loudly. Kagome stared at her superior in obvious confusion, and opened her mouth to ask a question.

Miroku, meanwhile, smirked in a knowing fashion. Byakuya ignored the smug monk and bowed slightly to the small noble. "Now, I believe we have intruded on you long enough. As it is, your guards are just-!"

"Lady Rurichiyo!" Two shinigami skidded around the corner, panting for air and looking extremely worried. The moment they spotted the small girl, they rushed to her, bowling over Renji in the process. "What were you thinking, running off like that? You mustn't do that!" The larger one nodded vigorously as he looked the little girl over.

"-There," Byakuya finished after he'd been interrupted. While the much younger noble was being questioned, he reached over and took Kagome's wrist in his hand and tugging her away from the ensuing argument. Miroku follow by default, wishing to be away from the noise, and happy to go anywhere the priestess was headed to. They were out of the line of fire a few moments, and several streets away, later.

"Now, Higurashi. What have you learned today?" Byakuya asked in an almost teasing tone. Kagome sent him a deadpan look and huffed loudly.

"Don't help nobles. They'll think your some kind of stray animal that they can just collar and take home with them. Like a demented pet," she mumbled, flushing the moment she realized that her Captain still had a hold of her. "You can let go now, Captain!"

He dropped her wrist like it was on fire. "Good. Now explain yourself."

"You see, I was minding my own business-!"

"I doubt that," Miroku and Renji grumbled, getting elbows to their guts from Kagome for that.

"-and I stopped in that tea shop there. That girl ran in, obviously scared out of her mind, and headed straight for one of the back rooms. I stopped her and asked her if she was okay. That was when those guys showed up. Apparently, they were hired thugs trying to hurt her when she got separated from her guards. I didn't like the fact that they were picking on a little girl, and they didn't like that I was defending her, so they attacked me. I beat them up for such a stupid move. You don't attack someone that wears a shihakusho. That's just moronic."

"All... by yourself?" Renji wheezed, rubbing his stomach and watching as Kagome rounded on him. With that scary look on her face, he could imagine that she **had** taken on all those men. She let him off the hook, though, when she merely huffed angrily and stomped away, muttering under her breath about sexism and chauvanists.

"You must be warned of one thing, Lieutenant Abarai," Miroku muttered, straightening finally after he recovered from the blow he'd been dealt, "When Kagome is upset, angry, emotionally charged in any protective way, she is extaordinarily strong. Even in life she was that way, and with the superior strength she now possesses as a shinigami, you would do well not to direct her wrath at you. Ever." It would only end painfully.

"It seems that you have offended her before," Byakuya surmised, pinning the monk with a cold look and resting his hand on the hilt of his sword, "If this is a recent offense..." He let his words trail off deliberately, the painful meaning behind them perfectly clear to the already abused man.

"No, sir, milord. I have yet to turn her ire at me in any way recently." Miroku decided he would keep that last time he'd groped the priestess to himself, for safety reasons to the public surrounding them, of course.

"... See to it that it remains in such a way." Satisfied that his words were heeded, he relaxed and started to catch up to Kagome. Renji, meanwhile, swallowed at the absolutely chilly atmosphere that had descended around them.

"You really know how to piss Captain Kuchiki off, don't you, monk?"

"Believe me, I have no concept of how to not irritate your officer," Miroku sighed, jingling his staff habitually and running a hand through his hair carelessly, "It seems that anything my old friend does is sensitive to him."

The redhead nodded, tilting his head in curiosity. He wondered if Rukia knew about this recent development in her icy brother.

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A/N: Kagome kicks ass when she's pissed off. It gets the better of her sometimes, but we'll see more of that infamous temper of hers and in more detail than I've done justice in this chapter. Think explosions. Yeah. Explosions.

Please review!


	7. Loan

Summary

He's allowing her to loan her own hair ribbon from him. It did not mean that she wouldn't try to take it back forcefully. Rukia takes notice and continues to plot...

A/N: Inspiration came from a pic I saw on the internet. Byakuya dressed up for achery practice. It was too good an idea to pass up. I had a lot of fun doing this, so I hope you guys enjoy reading it! I will try to post the pic on my profile... unless I can put it in here.

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Rolling out of bed that morning was a surreal experience, especially considering Miroku was occupying the floor space she usually fell into.

"Owww... Damn, Miroku, what the hell are you made of?" Kagome groaned, rubbing her elbow soothingly and scrambling off the sleepy monk.

"Flesh and blood, I assure you," he replied, holding the side that her elbow had driven into, "Your bony elbows, though, leave much to be desired."

"Leave my elbows out of this," the priestess muttered, glaring in annoyance at her old friend before the expression melted into pure glee. Hopping up from the floor, she started rummaging around for her clean set of robes and skipped into her bath room. "Why aren't you down the hall like usual?"

"There was a patrol last night. I thought it would be beneficial if I hid out here. Why are you so excited?" Miroku asked, warily eyeing the door she'd gone through. There were very few reasons Kagome got so happy, and usually, they involved something painful nowadays.

"Rukia invited me over again. Did you know the Kuchikis have their own archery range?" Kagome answered, poking her head out and sending the monk a blinding smile, "She said I could use it! I haven't been to an archery range in almost 10 years!"

"Which means..."

"Miroku! This gives me an uninterrupted chance to hone my shooting some more!"

"But... you're already a great shot!" the monk argued, not liking where this was heading. Kagome's Captain was surprisingly attentive to her. It was a little nerve-wracking, to be completely honest. And if his intuition was pointing him in the right direction, the priestess needed to be more careful.

"Practice makes perfect! Besides, I won't have to worry about pissing anyone off if I accidentally break something."

"Except for Lord Kuchiki... Who might be there."

"Puuleeease! Like Captain Kuchiki would waste his precious time watching me!"

"You never know, dearest Kagome." Because **he** knew that the Captain would.

"We'll see," the shinigami huffed, stepping out of the bathroom in clean clothes and a glint in her eyes. With a jaunty wave, she took off in search of the Kuchiki house.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Miroku muttered, watching her go with a slightly concerned look in his violet eyes. As the obligatory best friend, he was obviously required to do something. Now, what to do...

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Rukia hummed vibrantly as she gathered supplies together. Today was going to be interesting and this would help her start checking some things out. All she had to do now, was set the bait.

"Nii-sama?" the noble girl began, stopping in front of the office door to her older brother's study. It was surprisingly open, as was the outside door leading to the back yard, but today was a lovely day.

"Yes, Rukia? You seem rather excited today," Byakuya replied, glancing at the shinigami and noting that she was carrying some equipment, "You know the servants are paid to do what you're doing."

"I know, brother, but I wanted to learn how to set up the archery range myself," Rukia explained, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling in glee, "Kagome said that she knows a little about shooting a bow and arrows, but doesn't have somewhere to practice. I thought it would be nice to let her use the range today."

The current head of the Kuchiki clan blinked in surprise and mulled the idea over, "… I see. Then it would be a shame to let her skills go to waste. She may do so, if she wishes." Rising from his seat and setting his book aside, the older noble glided over to her and gathered some of the equipment from her hands, then turned down the hall, "The gods know that woman needs as much help as she can get. I will show you the proper way to set everything up."

Rukia smiled, dancing a victory jig inwardly, "Will you be joining us, then?"

"Perhaps." Set and cast.

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"But, Lady Rukia is expecting me!" Kagome argued, stamping her foot in impatience, "Why can't you just let me in?"

"Because we do not allow commoners to just waltz in whenever they feel like it," the guard hissed, glaring in annoyance at the small shinigami.

"What if it was an emergency or something? Would you still be standing here arguing with me?" the former priestess countered angrily, "Besides, I'm from Squad 6, so if I have to ever come get Captain Kuchiki from here, you're going to have to let me in anyway!" She pulled her robe aside a little to show the man the stitched symbol on the inside.

"Are you here on Squad 6 business?"

"No! But-!"

"Then it is unnecessary for you to step inside the premises. When it comes time that you are here on official business, then I will let you pass. Until then, please do not bother the prestigious Kuchiki family." With that being said, the guard proceeded to slam the large door in Kagome's face. A few seething moments later, it was opened again, this time, by Rukia herself.

"I apologize for him, Kagome. He takes his job very seriously. I told him to not bar you again," the noble girl sighed, sending the door guard a glare before beckoning the other girl inside, "I'm sure it **won't** happen again."

"Yes, milady."

"It's…" Kagome started, then stopped because it **wasn't** okay! The guy obviously thought very highly of himself, after all. But then she thought of the fact that it was, technically, his job to bar intruders from possibly hurting the family he was serving under. "I understand. It's fine, Rukia. Don't worry about it!"

The guard looked stunned and watched as the two girls walked away. He'd been blatantly rude to the little shinigami and she'd just forgiven him like that! How… strange.

"Well, even so, it won't happen again," the adopted Kuchiki stated firmly, then smiled happily at her friend, "Everything is set up. We just need to change and you can help me choose some equipment for us."

"That sounds like fun! I'm really thankful for this, Rukia," Kagome replied, the grin on the other girl's face becoming contagious, "Are you sure you want me to teach you?"

"Yes! I think it would be interesting to learn!" the smaller girl answered, literally bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation. Everything was going according to plan. "Oh! Nii-sama said he might join us if he finishes his work up. I hope you don't mind?"

Kagome swallowed delicately and shook her head. "Not at all. It's his house, after all."

'_Oh girl, you should have listened to Miroku.'_

"So! Let's go get ready!"

"Right!" Putting aside her doubts, the priestess began to really look forward to this little exercise.

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She was presented, once again, with fairly expensive clothes that made her want to gape.

"Are you sure it's okay to get this stuff dirty, Rukia?"

"Well, sure. They're the proper training clothes. That's what Nii-sama wears," Rukia replied, giving the other girl a questioning stare. Kagome shook her head and smiled.

"Sorry. All of my training clothes weren't this... nice." A dawning comprehension lit the noble girl's face and she grinned sheepishly.

"I apologize, Kagome. I didn't even think you'd be uncomfortable."

"It's fine! I'll just... get dressed and meet you out here, okay?"

"Right! Then we'll head to the storage room for bows," Rukia explained, turning and stepping into another room. Kagome quickly changed, already liking the soft feel of the black hakamas on her legs and the short sleeved haori. Because she knew that her Captain was home, she didn't bother tying up her hair. With the way he'd been acting recently, he'd probably just snatch her ribbon again. She liked the lavender one she was wearing today and wanted to keep it in her possession.

After waiting a few moments, the girls proceeded to the room where all the archery equipment was kept.

"Okay, you want to choose a bow that isn't going to be hard for you to pull back. Just go through and pick one that you feel like you can handle,: Kagome lectured, grinning when Rukia nodded rapidly and set about looking at the different bows. She herself began to peruse the choices, and eventually chose a sleek dark brown longbow. Turning to face the noble girl, she nodded in approval at the one she'd picked. "Good choice, Rukia. I think that one will work nicely for you."

"Thank you! But... isn't the one you're holding a little... big?"

"I'm used to using a longbow, so I'll be fine."

"If you're sure."

"Well, it was this one, or that black one over there," the priestess pointed out. The smaller girl glanced at the other choice and bit her lip.

"That's the one Nii-sama uses, so it's probably a good idea that you chose the one you did," Rukia shrugged, slinging a quiver of practice arrows over her shoulder and trooping out of the holding room. Kagome glanced one last time back to that other bow, debated for a moment, then shook her head. She'd be just fine with this one.

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He couldn't concentrate. It wasn't that he didn't know what he was supposed to be reading. He'd read the same paragraph at least a dozen times.

No, what was distracting him was the sounds of feminine laughter floating in from the archery range. He **wanted** to know what his little sister and his subordinate were so happy about, but knew that it would probably be highly inappropriate to interfere with their time.

_'However, Rukia did ask if I would be joining them later. It would seem that I'd almost feel obligated to check in on them.'_ Byakuya shook his head in disgust and laughed softly. Now he was just making excuses. He didn't have to be antisocial. It was his damn home, after all! He could do whatever he wanted!

_'And I want to put this paperwork away and do something leisurely, for a change!'_ Making up his mind, he proceeded to do just that. He was really looking forward to seeing what Kagome was capable of. A few minutes and a change of clothes later, he was picking up his bow and striding out to the range. With his purpose in mind, the noble turned the corner and observed as Kagome carefully instructed his sister on how to load her bow efficiently. She did so without a hitch and aimed at her target. With the priestess looking on, Rukia let loose on the taut string and her arrow flew...

... just short of her target. Rukia glared angrily at the arrow and then the target, almost trying to will one to touch the other. Kagome, on the other hand, grinned and shook her head.

"It's okay. I was a horrible shot when I started out.. I couldn't hit anything at all. It just takes practice and building up the right upper arm strength."

"R-Right," the noble girl muttered in admonishment, blushing just slightly, "Are you going to take a shot?"

"Yep." Byakuya, now rather interested in how Kagome would fare, remained silent, even when Rukia finally noticed his prescence. She grinned and waved just a little, just outside of Kagome's sight, and he responded by quietly nodding. The former priestess stepped up to the line, pulling her borrowed bow from her shoulder and situating her quiver. The Captain's eyes widened minutely at the length of the bow she'd chosen. Was she going to be able to even draw the string back on that thing? It was almost taller than her!

Making his decision, he opened his mouth to reprimand her for her choice, then let it click shut in shock when she smoothly loaded and fired three shots in rapid succession, all of them hitting near the center of the target. There would have been a fourth made, but the wind blew her loose hair in her face and she stopped to brush it away impatiently.

_'She's very skilled. I'm surprised.'_ Shaking his head, he proceeded forward to join them. Rukia remained wide-eyed in awe as Kagome pushed her hair behind her ears again in frustration.

"That was amazing! How did you do that so quickly?"

"Lots and **lots** of practice. In order to get this good, you've gotta devote yourself to the art," she responded, grinning in self mockery. _'Or run around the Feudal Era shooting demons down that are trying to kill you. That makes you accurate fast.'_ The priestess loaded up another arrow and pulled the string back expertly, lining up her sight to make her next shot-

"If you have a good teacher, though, that will make things easier to learn," Byakuya pointed out behind her, making the archer shriek in shock and fire on instinct. Her arrow missed and landed in the bushes to the right of the target.

"C-C-Captain Kuchiki!" Kagome stuttered, whipping around to face him with a hand on her rapidly beating heart, "You scared me! Please don't do that when I'm holding a weapon! I might accidentally shoot you next time!" The nobleman snorted almost inaudibly and waved her off.

"I doubt that. You'll need to fetch that too."

I'll get it!" Rukia volunteered, slipping away and leaving the two of them alone before the priestess could kick up any kind of protest.

The silence that followed was unbelievable awkward. "So... Hi?"

"... You surprised me when you were able to handle that bow," Byakuya countered, stepping up and pulling out three arrows. Palming two, he loaded one, took aim, and shot. The sleek black wood embedded itself into the center of the target, "but your stance needs a little work still." He fired two more shots in rapid succession, both hitting their mark and circling the bullseye. Kagome huffed and glared up at him before taking her spot at her own target and drawing out another arrow.

"My stance is fine," she started proudly, pulling back and letting instinct take over. Her next shot sank deeply into the center of her target, "and I used to handle a longbow all the time. So, forgive me if I sound smug, but I think I know what I'm doing, Captain."

The Kuchiki head sent her a sidelong glance as he analyzed the way her spiritual pressure literally vibrated with her ire. "Do you have enough confidence in your abilities to make a wager?" She gaped at him for a second before her blue eyes sparkled mischevously.

"Why Captain Kuchiki, I **never** would have pegged you as the betting kind of man," the dark-haired girl drawled, smirking up at him in delight, "but, yes, I am fairly confident in my archery skills. What did you have in mind?"

"Five shots. Standard procedure. If I win, you must return here once a week to work on your Kido control." Kagome stared at him, unable to believe that he was actually going through with this. Then his words sank in and she glared up at him in annoyance.

"My kido's not **that** bad," she grumbled, flushing because she knew that it **was** that bad, "It hasn't always been that way."

"I know. I took a look at your entrance exams, and you did quite well. As the years wore on, though, there was a steady decline in your ability to perform," Byakuya surmised, looking up at the sky for a moment before pinning her with a look, "Perhaps it has something to do with this... 'seal' the monk insists is on you."

"That's... a really good thought. I think I'll ask him about it the next time I see him," she nodded, deep in thought for a second before the look cleared and was replaced by a challenging fire, "And if I win, you have to give me my hair ribbon back!" The nobleman blinked, then smirked before reaching into his haori.

"You mean... this one, correct?" he asked intentionally, pulling the light blue slip of fabric out and dangling it in front of her. Kagome's jaw dropped and she automatcally made a grab for it. He twitched his hand and it fluttered out of her reach again. "I could... loan it to you... At least until this **game** is over."

"But it's **my** ribbon! You can't just loan my ribbon to me!" she protested, reaching out again to try and take it. The hand holding her ribbon disappeared behind his back as he smirked smugly. "That makes no sense!"

"Turn around, Higurashi."

"Why? So you can hide it again?" She thought of a disturbing thing. Did he keep her ribbon on him **at all times**?

"If you'll let me tie your hair back, we can get on with the wager," he argued politely, because a Kuchiki **didn't** bicker. The priestess narrowed a sharp look at him before presenting her back to him slowly.

"Just so you know, I'm going to beat you."

"I'm sure you will," he answered casually, running his fingers through her hair and untangling small knots. _'In a thousand years.'_ Letting the heavy silk slide through his hands, he suppressed a shiver at the sensation and quickly gathered her hair into a tail half-way down her back. He'd seen several noble women wear their hair in such a way when they weren't dressed to the nines in their fanciest kimonos and thought it would suit the shinigami nicely. A few seconds later, he was distancing himself from the girl and turning towards their targets.

"Now, we begin when Rukia returns. She can monitor our shots," Byakuya explained, taking another step away from her for good measure. If his grandfather had caught him...

_'Let's think about that for a moment, Kuchiki. Grandfather would be pleased if I even decided to pay the opposite sex attention again. I __**know**__ that old man wants grandchildren to spoil. Hisana had been far too frail to have children. The stress alone would have complicated things.'_ That, and his late wife hadn't possessed the spiritual energy to create a child. He'd always wondered if the Kuchiki family's energies alone had only worsened her fraility. If maybe marrying her had killed her in the end.

A small hand waved in front of his face. "Captain? Are you okay?" The Kuchiki noble blinked, coming back to himself, and noticed that his sister had returned. She and Kagome were both watching him with worried looks on their faces.

"Nii-sama?"

"... I am fine. Let's begin. You know the standard rules, Higurashi?"

"Yep. I explained everything to Rukia while you were... thinking. So, we're ready when you are." He was thankful she hadn't made some kind of snide remark for his absence of mind, and fingered his first arrow in preparation. Then, he turned to Kagome and nodded.

"By all means, ladies first." Her expressive blue eyes narrowed in determination, and a few heartbeats later her first arrow sank deeply into the center of her target. Byakuya quickly followed suit, mirroring her shot and glancing at her casually.

Only, she wasn't watching him, but his target with a deep concentration. A little put out by the lack of attention, he waited for her to make her next shot and followed its' path as it hit near the center again, this time slightly to the left of her first arrow. He had to admit it; she was a **very** skilled archer. Pulling back his bowstring, he fired and was pleased when it made its' mark. A flicker of movement caught his eye as he noticed her fiddling with the plume on her arrow, and he sucked in a breath at the red welt on her arm.

"Where is your padding?"

"My what?" she asked, giving him a blank look. She followed his gaze to her arms and flushed slightly in understanding, "I don't use padding. Never have." Shrugging when he gave her a condescending look, she flipped her next arrow and fired it on an adrenaline rush. She **loved** this!

"You should. You'll end up hurting yourself if you continue to go without the proper equipment," the nobleman pointed out, letting his eyes narrow when she merely snorted and waved him off. In his agitation, his next arrow was a little off-center, which put him in a sour mood. Kagome smirked, stepped up to her target, and lined up her fourth shot. Byakuya saw her wince as she pulled the string back and almost stopped her. She was already hurting herself! Then she fired... and missed. Byakuya was almost sure she would have thrown the bow in a fit of fury if it had been her own. Instead, she gripped the dark wood in a white-knuckled grasp as she ground her teeth in annoyance.

Instead of making a comment about the entire incident, the noble lined up his shot and let it loose. That twang of his string alerted him to the fact that it would be a straight and true shot. The shaft sank deep into the target, making his sister whistle and Kagome wince in defeat.

"Right, I guess you won, Captain," the small shinigami muttered, willing to admit that the family head was a good match. Still, she'd have liked to have taken that arrogance down a few notches and proven him wrong.

"You still have one more shot, Higurashi. I might miss," he replied, though the words were said in a way that screamed 'Yeah right!' She set up her final shot, fired, and was dimly pleased when this one made its' mark. However, the slight victory was shortlived. A 'thunk' was heard as her Captain's last arrow sank into his target, and she sighed loudly, blowing her long bangs with the motion.

"Good shot, Captain. You got me," she grumbled, an awkward smile making its' way onto her features when Rukia patted her shoulder. "I better go get that arrow." The priestess jogged off without waiting for a reply, berating herself for falling for his bait. Now she was going to have to work on her Kido with him. A rustle in the bushes jerked her out of her thoughts and she gasped loudly-

-Only to jump back in shock when a black arrow whizzed into the bushes and a howl broke the near silence. Not even a step later, Byakuya was at her side, bow cocked and aiming for whatever was waiting in there. His face, which had been somewhat open, even amiable, was shuttered coldly, grey eyes narrowed in a seething glare. Kagome settled her hand on his bow and crept over to part the bushes. What she saw made her want to shriek in laughter and wince in sympathy.

"Mi-Mi-Miroku? What are you doing here?"

"He **shot** me!" the monk wailed, ducking his head when he caught sight of the intimidating noble standing behind her. The arrow sticking out of his behind looked extremely painful.

"Oh my God! You shot Miroku!" Kagome exclaimed, spinning to face her Captain with a shocked expression.

"I thought I sensed an intruder," Byakuya argued.

"You still **shot** him!"

"He will live, Higurashi."

"You friggin' **shot me**!" Miroku reiterated, now glaring at the head of the noble house. Rukia pushed her way over to them, gasping when she set her sights on the raven-haired man.

"Nii-sama! Why did you shoot this man?"

"The manor and it's surrounding land is my property. I am allowed to do as I see fit to intruders," Byakuya countered frostily, not liking how concerned the younger noble was acting towards the unknown monk.

"But Nii-sama! He's obviously a friend of Kagome's!"

"Yes, fair lady! I am but a humble monk, and a very dear friend of Kagome's," Miroku elaborated, taking the other girl's hands in his own and giving her an imploring look, "Dear noble maiden, please do not allow your brother to torment me so-!"

"Okay, Miroku, you're laying it on a little thick. That's his **sister**, remember?"

"Yes, **monk**, remember that," the squad leader hissed, ready to shoot the other man again if he continued to come on to his sibling.

"Of course, Lord Kuchiki. I could never forget such a thing," Miroku murmured in deference, making Kagome roll her eyes and kneel next to him.

"Come on, Casanova, let's get you to one of the medics from Squad 4 and get that out of you,"

"Yes, milady."

It took a moment to process what had been uttered, but when she filtered through what he just said, Rukia blinked and looked at Kagome oddly. "He just called you 'Milady', Kagome. Are you...?"

"Huh? No! I'm no one special! He's just in shock!" the other girl flailed dragging her old friend up and starting to haul him off, "Don't be silly! Me? A noble? Please! Like I could even begin to try!" She laughed loudly and bowed to the two suspicious clansmen before scooting out of there as quickly as she could. "This was fun! We should do it again and not shoot people in the process!" As she crept by Byakuya, he reached out and pulled the ribbon from her hair. A moment of indecision later, the former time traveler decided to wait for a better opportunity to get it back and disappeared before either noble could stop her.

"... Nii-sama?"

"Yes Rukia. It **is** rather odd that he would address her as such." Things were starting to get interesting. Now, the mystery surrounding his secretive little subordinate was only deepening.

And he **would** figure it out one way or another.

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A/N: Annnd really long One-Shot. I didn't mean for it to turn out this long, but I had such fun with it! Hope you enjoyed it, because they're not all going to be like this! As always, please review!


	8. Ear Fetish

Summary

It wasn't her fault that she had an ear fetish! She blamed Inuyasha entirely!

A/N: Yes. I went there. The meeting between Komamura and Kagome. Um, this one is pretty short, so I hope you enjoy it. Let the fun commence!

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She'd been minding her own business when she saw him. And, damn, but she couldn't help but stop and stare. Miroku had been with her as well, and he'd known exactly what was to be expected when he noticed where her attention had run off to.

"Now, Kagome, it's not polite to accost people because-!" the monk started, reaching for the priestess as she swerved away from him and headed in the direction of her new target. Kagome huffed and looked away, a flush covering her cheeks as she finally got a hold of herself.

"Sorry. I can't help it now. Every time I see-!"

"I know. But be more vigilant in your discretion, my friend," the dark-haired man replied, taking a moment to pat her head in sympathy, "Someone will be bound to notice if you're not careful."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Look, but don't touch," she griped, crossing her arms and sending him a sidelong glance, "... Unless I get the okay?"

"Kagome!"

"Fine!" the former time traveler flounced away, ignoring her old friend as he insisted she wait for him to catch up.

_'That poor Captain won't know what hit him if she manages to get a hold him,_ Miroku thought, shaking his head as he cast a glance at the man he'd just unintentionally saved.

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Sajin Komamura resisted the urge to shiver suddenly. Without his mask on, he felt a lot more self-conscious than usual. But, he'd made a promise to stop hiding too, and he wasn't going to give up on that. Most of the 13 Guard Squads had gotten used to his furry face, and many were even still very respectful of him. He **was** a Captain for a reason, after all, and that changed nothing.

Glancing around, he shrugged finally and started to meander back to his squad's barracks.

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It was a few weeks later when she saw the large dog-eared Captain again, and the determined gleam in her eyes hadn't vanished in any way. In fact, you could say that fuel had only been fed to the fire.

She had to touch those ears.

_'No Miroku around this time to stop me either!'_ So, in an ultimately sneaky fashion, the former time traveler started creeping up on Komamura, whom was sitting idly with his Lieutenant, reaching out her fingers delicately. Inches away from her prize, the large Captain suddenly whipped around and glared fiercely at her. She "Eeped" and back up several steps.

"What do you think you're doing, young lady?" the fox-like Captain growled out, leveling sharp cat-like yellow eyes at the embarrassed priestess. She lowered her gaze shamefully and scuffed her foot on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Captain! I just... they look so soft! I just had to try and touch them!" Kagome murmured, wincing at the pathetic quality her voice had taken. She glanced up at him to see him sending her a stunned look. Lieutenant Iba was doing everything possible to prevent from bursting out into loud guffaws. The small shinigami had **terrified** his Captain for an instant, and he couldn't believe how courageous she'd actually been. The red triangular ears that the dark-haired girl had been so intent on twitched at the mournful look on her face and laid back when she followed their movements and whimpered just the tiniest bit.

Finally, Komamura sighed and carefully sat back down. "You could have asked..."

"Kagome. My name's Kagome," the priestess supplied, her gaze never wavering from the twitching appendages, "Umm... May I..."

"... Just don't tug on them too hard," the Captain muttered quietly. The sheer joy blooming on the girl's face made him uneasy. What had he just gotten himself into?

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Byakuya blinked when Kagome was deposited at his feet by Captain Komamura, an oddly pleased flush spread across her cheeks. What was going on?

"Thank you, Captain! I'd be happy to talk again, if you'd like," the smaller shinigami bowed to the much larger one. It suprised the noble when the furry man actually seemed embarrassed.

"I suppose the idea wouldn't be too disagreeable. Very well, when you have the leisure, you are welcome to visit the Squad 7 barracks." Lieutenant Iba snorted and suppressed the urge to laugh again. By the gods, but this little woman had practically melted his Captain's heart. All from a little ear rub. The two men turned away, leaving the girl with her Squad leader as they headed back to their own squad.

"Higurashi... What just happened?" the Kuchiki head asked very carefully. It disturbed him when the color on her face only darkened and she leveled a secretive smile up at him.

"If I may, Captain Kuciki, it's really none of your business." With that, she turned and proceeded into the office to gather some paperwork that had been finished. "I'll go deliver these for you." Then she left, that small grin still on her face.

_'... I certainly hope that I'm not going to have to kill Captain Komamura for this,'_ Byakuya thought, a little upset by the initial brush-off, but even more annoyed by the way Kagome had acted around the fox-like Captain. Almost... attached. Glaring at nothing in particular, he turned and stormed back into his office, determined to figure out just what the hell had passed between the two.

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A/N: Ahhh, a jealous Byakuya. Jealous people are always fun to write. Lolz! I hope you guys enjoyed this one. Sorry it's so short, but it was fun too! That just means I'll try to get the next one out a little faster.

Please review!


	9. A Lesson in Healing

Summary

She gets some good news. That good news, though, is unfortunately bad news for him...

A/N: This is actually in two parts. The next part will come after this one-shot! Just to let you guys know! Okay! Go read!

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Renji scratched his head in confusion at the scroll in his hands, then shrugged and tucked it into his robe as he made his way down the hall. Stopping at a door, he pulled the shoji screen open with a crack and stepped inside the room. The rest of his squad turned their attention to him briefly before they focused back on their Captain, whom was going over mission details and assigning patrol units.

Byakuya leveled a brief glare at his Lieutenant that screamed 'You'd better have a damn good reason for why you're late!' before turning his attention back to the squad members he was addressing. No one liked to be on the receiving end of the nobleman's ire, and Renji shivered in anticipation of the dressing down he was bound to get.

"If that is all, then you are dismissed. Notify your designated posts about the changes that have been made today," the Captain replied, nodding as his men saluted and started filing out the door. A flash of pink in the sea of black caught his attention, and the Kuchiki head focused his gaze on Kagome. Her dark hair was bound up in a ponytail with a pale pink ribbon today, and his fingers twitched at the urge to pull the scrap of fabric out of the long tresses.

"Higurashi! You can stay!" he heard Renji suddenly call out, making the girl stop suddenly and turn to the red head with a sullen pout that was quickly wiped away. A few of her fellow squad members started whispering and snickering in her direction, but she made them scram with a dark glare. They scattered, leaving her alone in the room with her two superior officers.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" Kagome asked, tilting her head innocently and focusing her attention on the red head. Byakuya also pinned him with a look and waited for the conversation to continue. Unused to having two sets of undeniably penetrating eyes on him, Renji cleared his throat and pulled the scroll out.

"You wanna explain to us why you're getting a letter from Squad 4? What, exactly, would Captain Unohana want-!" He never got to finish his sentence; the priestess had yanked the roll of paper from his fingers faster than he would have thought possible and ripped the seal off to read the contents. Her eyes were wide and feverish as she skimmed the words. Her superior officers watched her worriedly in case it was bad news, but when she suddenly shrieked happily and bounced around the room in celebration, both men were extremely confused. She'd lost all sense of decorum at this point.

"They said yes! They said yes! They said yes!" Kagome chanted loudly, spinning in circles deleriously before skidding to a halt in front of Renji and pulling him into a crushing hug. The Lieutenant goggled at her in shock. What the **hell** was she doing? Byakuya barely restrained the urge to unleash his bankai on the flabbergasted red head. Why was **he** not receiving a hug?

_'Why would I need one?'_ he thought, his mood turning utterly black for a reason he couldn't truly decifer.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" the former time traveler squealed, rubbing her cheek against her captive's robe before spinning away in a flurry of movement, "Oh! I **have** to tell Miroku! He'll be so proud of me!" And with that, the small shinigami was charging out the door, leaving behind two very confused men.

"... What the hell just happened? She didn't even let me finish!" Renji exclaimed, rubbing his head and sighing to himself. Turning to him Captain, and hoping that he would have an answer, he swallowed loudly at the evil gleam in those steely gray eyes.

"Renji. Why were you late?" Byakuya hissed, flicking his thumb under the guard of his zanpakuto in fury. The Lieutenant had a feeling that his superior wasn't all that angry about his tardiness, and more upset by their subordinate's reaction and lack of acknowlegement on his part.

"Well... You see..."

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The moment Miroku opened the door to desperate pounding he was tackled by a flurry of limbs, long black hair, and insanely high-pitched giggles. Blinking up at the bouncy Kagome grinning hugely down at him, he had to wonder if someone had planted drugs in her food.

Or sugar.

"... Kagome? What are you so happy about?"

"You remember when I talked to Lieutenant Kotetsu a few weeks ago, right? About maybe working part time in Squad 4 for some healing training?" The monk nodded, suddenly knowing where this conversation was going because a grin started to stretch onto his features.

"Yes... Did she respond back positively?"

"Even better! She talked to Captain Unohana and now she's asked me to come by tomorrow to start training!" the priestess responded breathlessly, stars in her eyes at the very thought. Captain Retsu Unohana was someone that Kagome admired greatly; not only for her healing prowess, but because she was so nice. She never had to yell at anyone, never had to even glare. There was a prescence around the cheerfully polite woman that had the younger girl breathless in awe. **She** wanted to learn how to do that.

"Captain Unohana is training you?" Miroku choked out, violet eyes wide in shock. He'd remembered meeting the woman, and had vowed to never ask her to bear his children. She'd given him such an evil smile as she reprimanded him for asking his tall Lieutenant. That had been when he was getting the arrow removed from his poor abused backside.

"Wait! Does your Capatin know about this?"

"Of course he does! He had to sign the paperwork!" Kagome retorted, huffing at the monk as she scrambled off him, absently punching him in the shoulder when he couldn't resist a grope, "Stop that! If you grope me in front of people, they're going to look at you weird!"

"Which is why I take every opportunity to do so when there are no eyes present."

"You're such a goof, Miroku."

"Of course. Now, how did you get Lord Kuchiki to sign?"

"Well..."

_Slowly, she tiptoed into the office, a cup of tea and a small stack of papers in her hands. Her Captain was busily scribbling away at some files that had been backed up recently, and wasn't paying the least bit attention to any of his surroundings. _

_"Captain? I brought your tea. Umm... the last person you sent for tea almost lost his marbles from whatever it is you said to him, so I thought maybe someone else should bring it," Kagome murmured, setting the cup on his desk and biting her lip when he glanced at it and nodded. _

_"Thank you." Reaching out, he pulled his coveted cup closer, knowing that he needed to stop drink so much caffine if he was ever going to get to bed tonight. "You're dismissed for the night, Higurashi." _

_"Okay." When she didn't leave, however, he glanced at her again to see her fidgeting. _

_"What is it?" _

_"Umm... These papers needed to be signed this afternoon, Captain. I was supposed to send them to Squad 4 today and-!" She snapped her mouth shut when he sent her little stack a glare and snatched them out of her hands. Not even bothering to glance through whatever happened to be written on them, he flipped to the sheet that needed his signature, scrawled out his name, and shoved them back at her. _

_"Take those to Squad 4, then you may be dismissed for the evening," he commanded frostily. Kagome swallowed and nodded rapidly, skittering to the door and bowing poilitely. _

_"You should rest soon, Captain Kuchiki. I hope the tea is to your liking." With that, she was gone, not waiting for him to respond. He blinked slowly at her, and turned his attention to his tea, which was a different color than his normal green. _

_"What... is this?" Sniffing it delicately, he carefully took a sip, shrugged when he decided the flavor was acceptable, and returned to his work. _

_Twenty minutes later, he was passed out at his desk, fast asleep. _

"I got him to sign them when he was really distracted, then fed him some tea that might have had a few sedatives in it," Kagome answered, carefully editing her words. Miroku wasn't fooled for a minute.

"You drugged him."

"I did **not**! I gave him something that would help him get to sleep! Technically, it wasn't a drug," the priestess huffed, crossing her arms and blushing furiously. At the incredulous look on the monk's face, she elaborated, "He was going to work himself into a coma, Miroku!"

"Just... don't tell him. He might actually become upest with you," her old friend sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair before pasting on a happy smile. "So, you'll be working with Squad 4?"

"Yep! This is great! I can learn healing techniques that would make Kaede so proud!"

"I'm sure Kaede-sama would already be proud of you, milady," Miroku demured, patting the small shinigami's head when she gazed up at him in happiness. It was so rare to see the girl truly happy nowadays. Especially with this whole 'seal' business that had begun to creep over them. _'Don't worry, Lady Kagome. I promise I __**will**__ find out what is siphoning your powers away.'_

"I know, but now she has even more of a reason to smile!"

"Yes, well, just make sure you don't overdue it, Kagome. You've limited energy as it is. Don't overextend yourself. I know a few people that would be very upset if something happened to you." He would be included in that group of individuals.

"Don't be so pessimistic. I'll be fine!"

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Byakuya was not thrilled after his very short meeting with Captain Unohana. According to the paperwork he'd signed, he'd given the rights over to let Higurashi train partially with the medical expert. The only problem?

He didn't remember signing the papers.

That had been a busy week, so he probably had merely stamped his name on whatever needed his signature. But now, he would have to split up several of her remedial lessons in order to accomodate this new thing. He wanted her to better herself, but first she needed to be able to make proper usage of the spiritual energy she already possessed. And so, coming into the next day, he was going directly to the little troublemaker to try and appease her out of the idea.

_'Except that I can't __**find**__ said troublemaker and her shadow cohort anywhere!'_ He'd looked everywhere! Her room, the monk's temporary room, the barracks. Hell, he'd even checked the training grounds and his family's archery range. Still, the diabolical duo had seemingly vanished. Grumbling under his breath, he turned the corner and slammed the door to his office open. He **was not** worried! Kuchikis **didn't** worry! The noble decided to throw himself into his paperwork and moodily got to it.

This was how Renji and Rukia found him a few hours later.

"Hey, Rukia. Is it just me, or does Captain Kuchiki look like he's sulking?" the redhead asked. He should have been prepared for the smack that followed, but the moment the much smaller shinigami's hand made contact with the back of his head, he was holding it in agony. "What was **that** for?"

"Idiot! My brother doesn't sulk!" Rukia hissed, glaring up at the Lieutenant in annoyance and huffing when he gave her an evil glare.

"Yeah? Well then, what the hell is he doing?" Renji ground out, making sure to be quiet in the process. If Captain Kuchiki caught them spying on him, there'd be hell to pay.

"... Thinking."

"Really." It hadn't been a question.

"Thinking hard," Rukia shot back, furrowing her brows and wondering what had her elegant older sibling so tied up in knots at the moment.

"Why-!"

"It must be about Kagome."

"... You've noticed that too?" Renji asked, carefully monitoring the girl's reaction. She gave him a devilish look and smirked triumphantly.

"Let me tell you about what we all did last week..."

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A/N: Okay! Part 2 will be up shortly! I hope you guys enjoyed!

Please review!


	10. Scare

Summary

They all get the fright of their lives when they find out she's not well...

A/N: Time for another chapter! I'm really excited about this one! Part 2! On a side note, yes, I know Ukitake's eyes are brown in the anime, but they're green in the manga. Go look. I'm totally serious. As Kagome's eyes are blue in the manga, I'm sticking with mostly manga colors. I'll let you guys know if I decide differently.

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"You didn't have to come with me, Miroku," Kagome murmured, sending the monk a small grin anyway. Said monk merely shrugged and shouldered his shakujo.

"I wish to support you in your endeavors, Kagome." At her blank look, he sighed and added sullenly, "also, your Captain is performing room inspections today."

"I see. It wasn't actually to wish me luck."

"I wish you the best of luck. Captain Unohana scares me," the dark-haired man bowed slightly to the annoyed priestess before spinning around and booking it down the hall. "Make sure to tell her that if something happens to let me or your Captain know!" He was gone before she could answer.

"... That goof," Kagome sighed, shaking her head and putting her hand on the door. She slid it open and bumped into someone leaving the room at the same time. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

"No no! It's all right!" the man waved his hands in reassurance, smiling gently as he stepped aside and shut the door, "I was actually just leaving. Excuse me, miss!" Inwardly, the priestess drooled. It was so hard nowadays to find a nice guy. The color of his hair, though, caught her off guard, and she raised her hand to touch one long strand that hung over his shoulder.

"Your hair... That's not your natural color, is it?" she asked before she could stop herself, slapping a hand to her mouth in horror and gazing up at him in mortification. He laughed and shook his head, green eyes dancing in amusement. The girl was sharp.

"No, it's not. I got sick when I was much younger and it turned my hair white." He tilted his head and gave her a questioning look. "But, not many people pick up on that. How did you know?"

"Umm..." she couldn't tell him it was because his aura was laced with sickness; one that she was sure was affecting him even now. Her heart clenched. She wanted to help this man! "I just... know..." Raising her hand, she laid it on his chest as her eyes glazed over in pain. "Does... does it hurt all the time?"

"Miss?"

"... I could... make it go away... for a little while," she offered shyly, looking up at him in absolute determination.

"I... How?" Instead of talking, Kagome simply called forth those healing powers she'd been capable of so long ago and closed her eyes. It was so simple, and yet, she was already tired. Knowing that she wouldn't have very long, she immediately delved into this unknown man's spirit and started purging the sickness at its' roots.

_'She's... glowing. What is she doing?'_ A brilliant flash of light and he felt at ease, completely warm, and breathless. This girl... she was **healing** him!

A few moments later, he was breathing easier and the unknown shinigami was slumped into him. "It's not... a lot... but I... did what I could... with what I had."

"... Why? You don't even know my name," the man asked, dark brows lowered in concern at the girl's heavy breathing.

"I can't... stand to see someone hurting," Kagome replied quietly, trying to take a breath but doubling over in pain as the effects started to take hold. Her lungs were on fire! "If you... want... tell me your name?"

"... Jushiro Ukitake." The priestess nodded, her vision blackening as she coughed harshly. This was what he had to go through every day? His pain tolerance had to be inredible!

"Kagome..." she couldn't finish her sentence as she finally passed out, exhausted and unable to breathe properly. The last thing she saw was the unmistakable flutter of a white Captain's cloak and concerned green eyes as he shouted for someone to help him.

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Jushiro Ukitake was in shock, but not enough to automatically react and catch the small shinigami that fainted in his arms. How had she been able to heal him to the extent she had? Not even Captain Unohana's various treatments had been able to alieviate the pain so thoroughly! At first, he hoped that she'd just run out of reishi, but when her body convulsed harshly and she started coughing the same way he did, he knew that she'd done something far different than merely healing him.

She'd replaced the strength of his lungs with hers and took on part of his illness.

"Retsu! Help!" The door cracked open and the Captain of Squad 4 rushed out, calm expression in place, but eyes bright with worry.

"Captain Ukitake! What-!"

"I'm not really sure, but this young lady used a form of healing on me that dulled the pain," Ukitake summarized, carrying the girl, _'Kagome'_, into the clinic and following the older woman's rapid pace towards the ICU wing. They had to do **something**! "I think she literally pulled part of it out of me and took it into herself to purge it."

"Wh-! That's impossible!" Unohana murmured, sharp eyes narrowing on the deathly pale thing cradled against the other Captain's chest. No, it was impossible for a normal shinigami to accomplish, but she'd noticed, when the girl had come by for a visit, that her well of power **wasn't** normal by **any** standard. This Kagome... She was a mystery to all of them.

"I know. But that's exactly what happened," the white-haired man countered, shaking his head and he gently deposited Kagome on the hospital bed. "I know what I saw, and I know what I felt."

"Captain Ukitake, I can take care of her from here. I will need you to inform her Captain immediately, though." The medical expert started to shoo the worried man away with a perfectly calm expression, "Let Captain Kuchiki know that he needs to come here. Also, there is a civilian man that Miss Higurashi is particularly close to. He will want to know what has transpired here. His name is Miroku and he dresses as a monk."

"A monk, and Captain Kuchiki. Right." Nodding, Ukitake swirled out of the room and started down the hall. He may not have liked the situation, but there wasn't much else he could really do either. He would, however, keep an eye on the girl and give her some advice on how to take care of herself until the effects faded.

_'Kagome Higurashi... I suppose I owe you, young lady.'_

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She was swimming in a sea of pain. Everything ached and burned! She couldn't take a breath without excruciating agony overwhelming her body. What the hell had she been thinking!

_'Right, help the nice guy and make the hurt go away for him. Smart, Kagome. Real smart,'_ the priestess thought groggily, overcome by a racking set of coughs that made her want to throw up. The taste of copper hit her tongue and she vaguely realized that she was **coughing up blood**!

"I can't imagine why you would willingingly do this to yourself, Miss Higurashi, but I won't let you die today. You're going to feel a cooling sensation in a moment, so don't be alarmed," a soft voice spoke above her, and Kagome cracked her eyes open. A blurry image manifested itself above her.

"... Mama?" A slight breathless laugh informed her she was wrong, but the warm clean aura soothing her was overriding any sense of embarrassment.

"Not quite, Miss Higurashi, but I suppose I don't really mind it either," Captain Unohana's face came into sharp relief, and the younger woman could make out the worry swimming in her eyes.

"I'm... sorry, Captain."

"... Don't be. You have a big heart, young lady, but you don't have the reishi to heal on such an intircate level." Though she was smiling, the stern sense of a reprimand was clearly there. "Please don't do it again until you get your abilities sorted out."

"... used to be fine..." Kagome murmured, already starting to slip back to unconsciousness, "stupid... seal..." She was asleep before Unohana could make heads or tails of that excuse.

_'... If there's a seal on you, is it really a good idea to let you stretch yourself?'_ the Captain thought, brows furrowing as she called forth her healing energy.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Byakuya almost twitched. The moment Miroku had appeared in his office, he'd restrained himself from strangling the 'civillian' man. Instead, he'd allowed the monk to pace and wait quietly in the room as he continued to ignore him valiently and work on his paperwork.

"You know your sister and Lieutenant are outside your door, Lord Kuchiki," the dark-haired man murmured, jingling his staff absently as he took a seat in one of the chairs sprawled out in the room. The nobleman nodded and pinned the door with a look.

"If you are lacking in work, Renji, I can **give** you something to do." The door slid open and the red head shuffled in sheepishly followed closely by an equally contrite Rukia.

"It's not that, Captain," he replied, scratching the back of his head and cracking an awkward grin. He didn't get to finish explaining because the door cracked open again and a visibly upset Jushiro Ukitake stepped into the room.

"Captain Ukitake? What are you doing here?" Rukia asked in surprise. It was unusual for the white-haired man to visit her brother out of no where.

"Rukia? What-!" Ukitake shook his head rapidly, "Nevermind! Byakuya, you need to come with me to Squad 4. A Miss Higurashi-!" He stopped because **everyone** in the room was suddenly paying a lot more attention to the conversation.

"Where's Kagome? Is everything all right?" a man he didn't recognize dressed in dark clothes asked sharply, "Did she do something insanely stupid again?" That earned the man the Captain had to assume was Miroku an elbow to the gut from Rukia and a smack across the back of the head from an annoyed Renji. Byakuya's gray eyes burned furiously at the monk before he let it go and nodded as he addressed the white-haired man.

"I refuse to wait for you, Ukitake. What ward is it?"

"ICU."

"... Very well." The younger Captain was whirling out of the room in a blur, putting his speed to good use. If Higuarshi had done something stupid...

_'Not until I see her.'_

Ukitake blinked and motioned for the other three occupants in the room to follow him quickly. "She's not dying, but she is in bad shape."

"Explain exactly what happened, if you would," Miroku demanded quietly as he kept pace with the rest of them. The Captain was surprised. For being a civillian, the man was quick!

"Well... I met her when I opened the door and almost literally ran into her at the Medical Ward..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

When Kagome woke next, it was the sound to several low voices trying to stay quiet. She must have made some kind of noise because they all stopped before a single face came into her line of vision. It was Miroku, and he looked severely disappointed. Breathing a quiet sigh, and glad that it didn't make tendrils of pain shoot through her, she locked pleading blue eyes with the monk and tried to tell him without words about how sorry he was.

"You, young lady, don't know how to say no, do you?" he asked, a grumpy look filtering onto his face as he shook his head.

"Sorry... I just... couldn't let him suffer. You know how I am," the priestess replied, her throat raw from all the coughing she'd done earlier. A glass of water was presented to her line of vision and she followed it up the arm to the concerned face of Rukia. That fire in her eyes, though, made the other woman sure she was going to get a lecture.

"As much as Captain Ukitake appreciates the help, you can't overextend yourself like that again." Miroku caught her attention again, and Kagome slowly sat up. Reaching out for the glass, she was surprised by how shaky her fingers were and cupped it with both hands carefully.

"Take small sips, Miss Higurashi. I'll let the others know you're awake now," a feminine voce floated above them and the small shinigami nodded to Lieutenant Kotetsu.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Before the tall woman left, though, she turned to regard her with a slightly terrified look.

"I don't think I've ever seen Captain Kuchiki so upset. You put him through a lot of worry, so I think you should apologize. To him, your Lieutenant, and Captain Ukitake." Left in a stunned silence, Kagome could only nod in agreement as she took another small sip of her water.

"... Guys, I'm really sorry. I never meant to scare anyone," she murmured, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She was enveloped in a two-way hug from Miroku and Rukia.

"I will always forgive you, Kagome. As long as you remain alive, I will never abandon you," Miroku answered, smiling kindly down at the priestess when she sent him a small smile of thanks.

"Just... don't do it again, okay? You're one of the few people I like around here, Kagome," Rukia replied, huffing when the monk's hands went around her shoulders as well, but letting it slide because the moment was too right...

She shouldn't have let her guard down.

Byakuya chose that moment to waltz in with Renji and Ukitake in tow. The three men ducked rather swiftly when Rukia let out an inhuman shriek and tossed Miroku out the door with startling accuracy after she slapped him. "You damn lecher! Don't touch me there when we're all having a sentimental moment!" Kagome swallowed, sure that her friend had just shortened his life-span dramtically. Renji merely gave the bed-ridden woman a look that screamed 'Don't scare people like that again' before he was off after the monk, hollaring at the top of his lungs in the process of drawing his Zanpakuto.

"YOU OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T LEARN THE **LAST** TIME I WAILED ON YOU, DID YOU, YOU GUTLESS BASTARD!"

"No! Lieutenant! I beg you! It was entirely an accident!"

"ROAR ZABIMARU!"

"AIGHHHHH!"

Ukitake twitched and restrained the urge to join in. That was **his** subordinate the monk had just groped! Byakuya surprisingly stopped him with a hand and tilted his head in the direction of the noise before nodding. "Renji will take care of it this time. I won't be so lenient on the man, though, if it ever happens again." An icy cold aura swept the room, dousing the others in its' wake. If anything, the Kuchiki head was a man of his word. Ukitake finally agreed and made his way over to Kagome's bedside before taking a seat next to her and reaching for her wrist to check her pulse.

"N-Nii-sama. Is it really a good idea to let Renji handle it?" Rukia stuttered. She'd only ever felt that cold aura one other time, and that was when the nobleman had fought against Ichigo. It was rather terrifying. Byakuya took a breath and let his anger go at the same time he released it. Striding up to the hospital bed, he watched as the other Captain rested his palm against the priestess's forehead, and suppressed an annoyed noise when she suddenly flushed from the close proximity. She didn't... **like** Ukitake? Did she?

"No fever. That's good. Your pulse is normal as well, so I don't think you'll have all the same side effects as I do. How do you feel sitting up right now, Kagome-san?"

"Umm... A little lightheaded, but I can follow conversations," she muttered, biting her lip and fighting hard against the heat trying to suffuse on her cheeks. She'd known the man was handsome, but this was just ridiculous! "Do you... Do you think I'll be able to leave soon?" He glanced at her and found liquid blue eyes watching him in slight unease. "I don't... really like hospitals."

_'I __**am not**__ developing a crush for a man I just saved!'_ she denied pitifully. Rukia watched the proceedings and almost winced. This... was not good. If Kagome's affections were swayed to someone else, where would that leave her brother? Sure, she thought Captain Ukitake was a great man, and had hings been different, she would be cheering her leader on valiently. But all of her plans involved her sibling and the shinigami girl in the bed being together and a happily ever after!

_'I want blue-eyed nieces and nephews!'_

"Well, Retsu... Captain Unohana will probably want to keep you overnight to monitor your health. After that, you'll probably be able to go," Ukitake replied, oblivious to the fact that the other Captain behind him was becoming increasingly irritated. "I have some tea at home that I'll bring by for you. It helps me on days where I'm not feeling my best. You shouldn't do anything really exhausting until the symptoms pass. Captain Unohana says that should be about a week or so."

"O-Oh! Thank-!"

"Should **my** subordinate require assistance, Jushiro, she need but ask for myself or Renji," Byakuya interrupted, catching Kagome's attention again. Not only was he upset with her, he was obviously furious with her too. Kagome swallowed and bowed her head contritely.

"Captain... I'm really sorry for worrying you... and the Lieutenant too! I never meant to be so careless," she started, lifting her face and letting those startlingly blue eyes lock with his for a second before she lowered her head again, "I don't like seeing people hurting, and Jushiro-san was-! I guess I should call you Captain," she veered off course, sending an apologetic glance at the white-haired man and bobbing her head in a bow, "Anyways! He was in a lot of pain, so I felt like if I could do **something** to aleviate that, maybe I could save him..." She trailed off at the sigh her superior let out and almost squeaked when a finger went underneath her chin and forced her to look up at him.

Gone was the annoyance, and the anxiety she had sensed in him had dwindled to almost nothing. Instead, the look in his gray eyes seemed almost... tender? Was she reading that right?

"The next time you decide you'd like to save someone, remember that you don't have to do it alone. There are others that would be willing to help you." Now, Ukitake may have pretended to be oblivious to the looks that women gave him, but he **was not** about to turn a blind eye at this. Byakuya, cool, quiet, calm Byakuya Kuchiki **liked** the young lady currently goggling up at him in a state of shock. A state that was slowly bringing a dark red color to her cheeks.

Glancing at Rukia, the other Captain had to suppress a smirk. The other Kuchiki looked like Christmas had come early for her. She was **thrilled** with the entire idea!

_'I wonder... if there is a way I might be able to help Rukia get these two together?'_ The idea was **definitely** worth some merit. As it was, he hadn't seen the younger Captain crack any kind of smile since the death of his late wife. This, he surmised, would be good for him.

Catching his subordinate's eye, he glanced at the two and back at her. The gleeful smile she sent him informed him that she would tell all later.

"Thank you... Captain Kuchiki," Kagome answered after a moment of indecision. She didn't want to feel like she had to lean on the man, but it was nice every once in a while to not have to shoulder all of her burdens alone. He nodded, dropped his hand, and turned to leave the room.

"Apology accepted, by the way, Higurashi." The arrogant way he said it made the bed-ridden shinigami twitch murderously, and in a fit that she clearly didn't think through, she lobbed one of her pillows at him. It missed, but the triumphant smirk the nobleman sent over his shoulder made her reconsider firing another feathery missile at him. He'd probably just Flash Step out of the way anyways.

Instead, she crossed her arms and leaned petulantly back against the headboard as she muttered under her breath about "arrogant noble jerks". Her pillow came back and smacked her in the face.

"Don't sulk, Higurashi. It's unbecoming."

Kagome gaped.

Rukia stared.

Ukitake smiled.

This... was going to be interesting.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A/N: Ahhhhh... all finished with that little series! Next time! Kagome meets... You'll have to find out! Also, as of today, I have officially started school back up. I wanted to let you guys know about this because updates are gonna be slow from now on. School's extremely important to me right now, so I **have** to focus on that. This does not mean that I'm not going to write anymore; just that I won't have nearly as much time as I used to. Anyways, until the next time then!

As always, I like those reviews!


	11. Bosom Buddies

Summary

Kagome's found her new best friend. Rangiku's found a new drinking buddy. Miroku stalks. And Hitsugaya might just kill them all, if Byakuya doesn't do it first.

A/N: I know several of you have wondered how this meeting would turn out, so here we go!

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"I'm not **that** fragile, Miroku! So I have a very mild case of tuberculosis that will go away in a few days! Big deal!" Kagome huffed, not liking how carefully the monk manuvered her around people in the Rukon District. This was supposed to be a stress-free outing for her, as Captain Unohana had restricted her to a few days of rest after her entire debacle at the medical clinic. It had been almost a week, and she'd seen Captain Ukitake twice, with her own Captain present, as he checked her over and gave her some herbal tea to drink twice a day. It was a blend that was supposed to help strengthen her immune system and he'd instructed her very carefully on how to prepare it.

"I understand that you are hardier than everyone else gives you credit for, but that doesn't mean we don't worry, all the same," her dark-haired companion replied gently, trying not to further agitate the already annoyed former time traveler.

"Yeah yeah, I get it already," she waved off his excuses, took a deep breath, and centered herself again. She'd been on pins and needles since the incident, and it was with a sense of shame that she realized she'd snapped at Miroku for nothing on several occasions recently. Helping her put things away on a high shelf. Lingering nearby in case she needed someone to carry something. Spying on her in the bathrooms... Well, that last one, he'd deserved getting thrown through the window for. It was a few minutes before her old friend spoke again.

"... By the way, why **are** we in Rukongai today? I thought Lord Kuchiki insisted on you doing nothing for the duration of your... ailment?" The question was asked with a sense that he didn't really care what the answer would be, as he wasn't truly paying much attention to the conversation in the first place. Kagome sent him a look out of the corner of her eye and noticed that he was following the hips of some girl to his right. She rolled her eyes. The man never changed.

"Because he asked me to run an errand for him out here and to 'enjoy my time out, as the weather will be changing soon'," the priestess replied, absently reaching out and pinching her lecherous companion's cheek. He gasped in pain and flinched. Good. That would keep him on track. "Besides, I like Rukongai. It's not stifling like the Sereitei."

"Indeed. I must say that I agree with you. In fact, I think Rukongai suits-!" Miroku froze up, horror filling him when, in his scan of delectable women, he came across a brunette that looked achingly familiar. That hair... Those hips! It had to be-!

_'I can't let her see me!'_ he thought, looking around frantically for something to distract Kagome with. She was giving hiim an odd look.

"Miroku? Are you-!"

"Oh look! A tea shop! And all of their produce is organic!" He commented swiftly, taking the flabbergasted girl by the arm and **dragging** her over to the small quiant shop. Pushing the door open, he disregarded the cheerful chime, waved at a waitress, and set his old friend down at a table. "Why don't you order something and I'll be right back!"

"Whu-! Wait! Miroku! Where-!" It was too late. The monk had already zoomed out of the store and hadn't heard a word she'd managed to say. Her server was a girl that was a little younger than her with a bemused expression on her face.

"Anything I can get you?"

"... Yeah. A shinai to beat my former best friend over the head with until he comes to his senses," the shinigami growled, her right eye developing a slight twitch. Her murderous expression smoothed into something sheepish when the other girl giggled helplessly and suggested a cup of a blended tea that helped reduce stress and relax her nerves. With a sigh and a nod, the priestess accepted.

Several minutes later, Kagome muttered something ugly under her breath as she nursed her tea and glared at nothing in particular. If Miroku had wanted to go chasing after some girl, all he had to do was say so. He didn't have to make stuff up just because he thought she wouldn't understand!

_'He's the worst escort ever._' She finally sighed, though, and leaned back in her chair. At least she didn't have to worry about much of anything at the moment. Sitting back in this tea shop **was** rather relaxing.

Twenty minutes later, and still no sign of the slick monk anywhere, though, she was starting to get agitated. And depressed. Leaning onto the table, the priestess absently pushed her cup aside and let out a loud breath that moved her bangs a little. This... was boring. Twisting a long strand of hair that had come undone from her ribbon of the day, a white one, she huffed, pulled the tail loose, and put it back up properly.

_'Did he forget about me?'_ This was one of those times where she was just considering leaving and making the man run around in a panic and find her. Chances were, though, that he wouldn't catch up to her for several more hours. _'I'm __**not**__ waiting here for him that long!'_

She didn't feel the long fingers slide up her ribbon's length, but she **did** feel it when it was pulled out of her hair, causing the long strands to cascade down her back erratically.

"Wha-! Hey!" She only knew of **one person** that had the audacity to do that to her! Turning, she was ready to give that person the third degree. "Captain! If you don't stop stealing my hair ribbons, I'm gonna... get..." The person she faced **wasn't**, in fact, her arrogant Captain. It was a woman. A woman with long wavy strawberry blonde hair, cornflower blue eyes that were sparkling mischeviously, and an enormous pair of breasts that looked ready to pop out of her shihakusho top with the slightest provocation.

"That's better! You're much cuter when you've got a glint in your eyes!" she chirped, waving the pearly white ribbon around in a teasing manner before giving it back to the younger girl. "Now... What's got you so down that you looked like you were about to cry?"

"Ah-! I just-!" Who was this woman! Kagome fumbled for something to say while her new "friend" plopped down in the seat across from hers, a playful smile on her lips as she watched the priestess flounder. "It's... I... Who **are** you anyway?" Finally settling for sullenness, she crossed her arms and pouted a little.

"Oh! I guess I should tell you my name. It's Rangiku. Rangiku Matsmoto," the blonde grinned, reaching out a hand and grasping one of Kagome's before shaking it heartily. "Now, you have to tell me yours. It's only fair!"

"Ah... Kagome... Higurashi. That's my name," the younger girl grumbled, slightly put out by Rangiku's sneakiness. She'd manuvered herself into chatting with this stranger! The busty woman was much more sly than she let on.

"Well, Kagome? How come you're here all by yourself?"

"I... got sick recently, and I've been told to take it easy until I recover. My friend that was with me ran off to go chase girls, or something, and now I'm just stuck here waiting." Rangiku clucked her tongue and signaled the server over before requesting a jug of sake and two cups.

"Well, I know exactly what to do to make you feel better." The jug was set down in front of them and Kagome blinked as her new friend happily poured the alcohol.

"... Sake?"

"Yep! It's good stuff too!"

"I don't know..."

"Come on! Be a rebel and tell me about yourself!"

Kagome smiled a little and decided. What could it hurt?

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

She learned that Rangiku was not only the Lieutenant of Squad 10, but a rowdy drinker as well, which got them kicked out of the tea shop fairly quickly. The older woman merely complained at the lack of manners before looping an arm through Kagome's and dragging her off while she chattered about meeting a few friends of hers. Friends that would help her "loosen up and have some fun!" as she put it.

"As soon as we find Shuuhei, we'll take him with us and go get Ikkaku too! It's not a party without him!" the blonde explained, a flush on her cheeks from the alcohol as she grinned at a somewhat wary Kagome. She'd been considerate and taken the first cup of sake, and it had warmed her insides nicely, but she didn't want to get roaring drunk this early in the afternoon. Rangiku had no such qualms. "Maybe, if we can find Izuru, he'll come along, and the rest of the gang too!"

The priestess nodded as though she undestood, but the only person she recognized from the names that were rattled off was Ikkaku, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be drunk around him. He might accidentally take her back to Kenpachi or something. The two women turned the corner and the taller one gasped in excitement when she spotted a man not too far away from them.

"Shuuhei! Shuuhei! Look Shuuhei!" Rangiku shouted happily, bouncing over to the man with Kagome in tow. He turned to face them, and the priestess was struck by the fact that, despite the odd tattoos, and the scars running down one side of his face, this Shuuhei guy was still pretty good-looking.

_'Not as yummy as the Captain, though,'_ a traitorous voice whispered across her senses, and she shook her head. Today was about **not** thinking of the unattainable noble!

"Look at what Rangiku found!"

"... Why is Rangiku talking about herself in the third person?" Shuuhei asked, though he was a little afraid to find out. By the way the busty blonde was moving alone, he could tell she'd already had a couple of drinks. And she'd somehow caught some poor innocent girl in her trap too.

"Because Rangiku thinks it's cute!"

"Well, Shuuhei thinks it's stupid."

"You're no fun until you're drinking, you know that Shuuhei?" the Squad 10 Lieutenant pouted before presenting the girl under her arm to the man. "This is Kagome Higurashi. Kagome, this is Shuuhei Hisagi, the Lieutenant of Squad 9. We're going to make her forget all of her problems for tonight, okay?"

"Wait-!" WE?"

"Yes! You're going to help, Shuuhei!"

"Really. And how would I be helping?" The man had a sneaking supsicion of **how** he was going to help this poor girl.

"You're buying the drinks, of course!" Rangiku announced like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She nodded when he gave her a hard look, then smiled up at him in a cutesy way. "Pleeeeeaseeeee Shuuuuuuheeeeeiiiiii!"

He was falling for it. Hook, line, and sinker.

Kagome shook her head. This guy didn't stand a chance.

"... Fine."

"Yay! We're getting drunk tonight Kagome! Let's go find the others too!" Snatching the suddenly weary Shuuhei's wrist, the blonde woman proceeded to drag her two companions off in search of other people to get involved.

This was how Miroku found his old friend later; squished between a loud Rangiku and a chortling Ikkaku as he argued with the other woman. Kagome seemed a little apprehensive, but the flush across her cheeks denoted to the fact that she was just quietly getting herself drunk out of her mind.

"Kagome! Where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you for **hours**!" the monk snapped, reaching out and pulling the former time traveler to her feet. "Did you forget you have a **curfew**!" He found himself on the pointy end of at least four different swords. The three Lieutenants present, Rangiku, Hisagi, and Izuru Kira, plus Ikkaku, were all eyeing him with a sense that he was a danger to their youngest friend.

"Mi-Mirokuuuu! I waited foreeeeeverrrrrr for youuuuuu to coooomeee backkk! Where-Where **were youu**!" Kagome slurred out, looking about as intimidating as a kitten as she glared up at him. The holy man finally sighed and let her go, but steered her upright before she fell over.

"I apologize. I never meant to leave you waiting so long," he murmured quietly, still a little wary of all the weapons pointed in his direction. They were lowered a little, but one wrong move would set them all off if he wasn't careful. Which was the entire reason why he didn't immediately reach out and grope the busty blonde woman that his old friend had made an acquaintance of. "I thought... I thought I saw someone that we knew, and had to investigate."

"Who?" He didn't want the others to hear, so he leaned over and whispered in the intoxicated girl's ear.

"... Sango." A sharp breath was all he heard before he was nose-to-nose with a very determined looking priestess.

"Did you see her? Did you find out who it was? Was she carrying her boomerang, because I think I would have noticed her if she did? Did you get to talk to her? Was she-!"

"Kagome! It wasn't her."

"Oh..." the shinigami deflated in sadness and slumped back over to the table to be consoled by her new friends. Kira offered her a full cup of sake, which she accepted and downed quickly before coughing spastically and thumping her chest. Rangiku patted her head and told her everything would be okay. Hisagi's strong quiet prescence merely helped ease the pain, even if he didn't say anything. Ikkaku told her to drink some more because that would make her forget all of her worries. Miroku watched the scene and had to admit, a couple cups of sake **did** sound nice right now. Approaching the table cautiously, he inquired if he could join them.

"Sure Miroku! Have a seat and buy a couple of jugs!" Kagome replied, sliding over and yanking him down in between her and Rangiku. "Guys, this is an old friend of mine! His name's Miroku, and he's like a big brother to me! I love him with all my heart cause he's family!" The others, after a moment to consider, happily welcomed the shocked monk into their fold.

Miroku shrugged and filled up. It wouldn't be a big deal if they were only an hour late for their curfew. Would it?

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A loud peal of laughter that he instantly recognized honed him in on his target. This time, there would be ablsolutely no escape! With an aura to match the Arctic itself, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad 10, made a beeline for the back corner of the bar. His sights were set on a rambunctious blonde woman that was regaling a tale that everyone at the table thought was horrendously amusing, and he grit his teeth in preparation of dealing with his lackadaisal subordinate.

"Matsumotooooo!" Everyone at the table froze and slowly turned to face the highly irritated child prodigy of the Court Guard Squads. The silence was broken by none other than Rangiku herself, whom swooped down and scooped the younger boy up in a tight embrace. It smushed him against her ample bosom, and he twitched visibly.

"Captaiiiiin! What are you doing here?" From the looks of it, Kagome could only sympathize with the white-haired boy that looked ready to choke the busty woman clinging to him.

"MMMMPPHH! MMPPPHHHH!"

"Huh? I can't understand you!" the Lieutenant cocked her head to the side, and Kagome finally took pity on the boy as she reached out and pulled him away from the older woman. He took several deep lungfuls of air, face red and livid as a tick developed rapidly in his eye.

"Looking. For. You."

"Hmmm? But why?" The kid exploded.

"You **still** haven't finished **last week's** paperwork, and this week's is piling up! I am **not** doing it for you!"

"Awwwww! But it's soooo booooriiiing!" Rangiku slurred. Hitsugaya faced the rest of the table and plunked himself down almost wearily.

"I give up. I'm sick of trying to make you be mature."

"... There's a time for mature and serious, but there's also a time to relax and let go," Kagome murmured, startling the younger boy. He blinked at her and met with an equally intense stare. Those pretty blue eyes knew a lot more than she was letting on. "It's okay to have fun sometimes. Too much work makes you forget you're young, Captain..."

"Hitsugaya. Toshiro Hitsugaya," he replied, feeling his cheeks heat up. This girl... maybe she was different... "And you are?"

"Kagome Higurashi. Squad 6." She nodded, then proceeded to fling her arms around the shocked boy. "You are just toooooooo cuuuuute!" Miroku scrabbled to pry the priestess off of him and finally decided that it was time to head home.

"As much fun as this has been, my friend and I were due back at Squad 6 quite some time ago," the monk itterated, rising to his feet shakily and leading a giggled Kagome away from a red-faced Toshiro Hitsugaya. Rangiku was immediately at their side, babbling about how she should go with them, because it wasn't proper for a nice girl like Kagome to walk home with a cad like Miroku. Said cad took offense and tried to go for a grope. He was smacked down. Literally. And Rangiku toted the intoxicated priestess away. Had the others been a little more sober, they all would have been up and after the pervert for attempting to take advantage of the busty blonde.

About two minutes later, Hitsugaya was seething again because, somehow, someway, his Lieutenant had put that poor girl up to the entire scene. He just **knew** it!

"I'll tie her to her chair and **shove** her paperwork **down her throat**!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The current head of the prestigious Kuchiki family **refused** to admit that he was even slightly worried. He wasn't pacing just inside the barracks of Squad 6 because a certain priestess and her escort monk hadn't shown up like they were supposed to after their day out in the Rukon District. It was several hours after dark, far past the time he'd set for Miroku to bring Kagome back. He Was. Not. Worried.

_'Who do I think I'm fooling? Of __**course**__ I'm worried!'_ He didn't have to admit it to anyone, though.

The laughter alerted him first long before their voices became distinguishable. What he **did** manage to hear, though, made him clench his teeth and slowly count to twenty in his head. Twice. He was going to **kill** Miroku.

"But Gomeeeee! I think Captain Hitsugaya would **definitely** go out with you! You should at least give him a **chance**!" Rangiku giggled, wrapping an arm over the younger girl's shoulder and leaning on her. Her cleavage came dangerously close to spilling out of her top and Miroku's "cursed" hand twitched in a reflexive movement.

"I don't know, Rangiku-san I already... like someone else! That... would be mean... to him!" the other girl hiccupped, dropping back into a slightly more formal way of address with all the alcohol in her system. She pushed away from the other woman and sloshed into Miroku accidentally. "Besides... He re-re-reminds me of a miiiiiniiiii Shess-shom-maru-sama!"

"That's... a terrifying... thought..." Mirokue managed to get out in between giggling insanely and shaking in pure undiluted fear.

"It's not... not **this** guy, is it?" the blonde asked, thumbing the monk holding Kagome up as she swayed. The priestess let out a high pitched giggle and shook her head so fast that she immediately felt dizzy.

"Noooooo... Not him! He's just... like a brother... to meee." This was how Byakuya found them just inside the gates to the Squad 6 barracks. All he had to do was take one look at the three of them and he knew exactly what had happened. He was going to kill Matsumoto too. In fact, he'd probably kill the troublesome blonde first.

"Then whooo is it?"

"Weeeeelll..."

His right eye almost twitching in fury, he plucked the drunken prietess out of Miroku's arms. She immediately latched onto him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest; right where his heart was beating rapidly. In a way, he wanted to know who she liked; but he also realized that if she told, then she'd regret it tomorrow when she was sober. "Captaaaaaiiinnnn! Hoooow aaaree youuuu?"

If he had the power to reverse time, Byakuya would have stopped Kagome from leaving the Squad 6 barracks today and confined her to an indoor activity such as... oh, paperwork? Sadly, things did not go his way, and he was seriously considering a mass homocide at this point.

"You," he hissed at Miroku, whom had the decency to whimper in terror, "are supposed to take care of her! You were supposed to be back **hours ago**!" He pointed at a swaying Kagome as she giggled delightedly and played with the end of his scarf and completely ignoring the hissy fit he was throwing. "And you," he continued, glaring visciously at the busty blonde pouting in front of him, "**will not ever** get my subordinate drunk again! Are. We. Clear. Matsumoto." It had not been a request.

"You're so stern, Captain Kuchiki," Rangiku whined, hiccuping slightly in emotion, "She obviously needed to get away from all the stress, and she looked absolutely miserable sitting in that tea shop by herself!"

"You tried to set her up with your Captain!" Byakuya ground out, a tick finally developing in his right eye at the thought. **No one** was going to set Higurashi up with **anyone**, if he could help it!

"They would have been cute together!" the blonde Lieutenant argued, looking up at the sky and smiling dreamily, "I can see it now! Cute little kids with white hair and stick up their-!"

"Lieutenant? You're making it worse," Miroku murmured, eyeing her cleavage with a hint of longing. He received a slap upside the head courtesy of an irate Byakuya.

"Say what you want, monk, but I still think Captain Hitsugaya and little Kagome-chan would have been-!"

"MATSUMOTOOOO!" Said formerly mentioned Captain suddenly burst through the door, breathing heavily and snarling at the tall blonde, "If you don't come with me **right now** I'll make you do paperwork until-!" The small Captain suddenly cut himself off as a drunken Kagome flung herself at him with a squeal and started rubbing his hair with her cheek. Byakuya looked less than thrilled with the entire debacle.

"You're just sooooo cute, Toshiro-chan!" the priestess cooed, hugging the boy to her chest in a death grip. Toshiro Hitsugaya had never been more embarrassed in his life and flushed darkly at being pressed so close to such a cute girl. "I know! I'm going to adopt you! You'll be my new little brother!" A cute girl that didn't see him as anything more than a younger sibling.

He hated being so damn young looking.

For his part, Byakuya merely twitched and reached for his Zanpakuto. If he had to, he would kill all of them and whisk Kagome away.

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A/N: Next chapter up hopefully soon! Sorry about the long wait, but, that's life. As always, I appreciate reviews.


	12. Subject to Run Like Hell

Summary

Was there some kind of rule she'd forgotten to read? Because she couldn't seem to understand why she was attracting so much attention from the wrong kind of people.

A/N: I'll put the same kind of apology in here that I did in case you guys don't read the other stuff I post. I'm really really really sorry about how long it took to put this up. A lot of stuff in my life is being uprooted and changed around, and I simply don't have anywhere close to as much free time as I used to. My only consolation is that I hope you all can forgive me for my absence and to please bear with me as I go through this rocky uncharted thing called life.

Okay, moving on. I've always considered Kurotsuchi to be extremely creepy. I don't care what anyone else says; he is. I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter!

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Kagome shivered again and spun around. She had been getting the distinct impression that she was being observed. Like a bug on a pin that hadn't realized it had already been tacked up on display. She couldn't **stand** that feeling! When her eyes, ears, and senses came into contact with nothing, she shook her head visibly and continued to head in the direction of Squad 6's barracks. A sharp jolt skated down her spine as something dark flashed from the corner of her eye, and she was running as fast as she could towards sanctuary.

_'Fight or flight! I'm friggin' running!'_ A few moments later, she skidded into her Captain's office unexpectedly and dove behind him. Byakuya blinked and slowly turned his head away from his paperwork to peruse his unusually jumpy subordinate.

"Higurashi... What are you doing?"

"Umm... I thought I'd polish the floor in here!" she chirped brightly, feigning an enormous amount of cheerfulness that had even him unconvinced. "... With my socks!"

He turned his chair and leveled a blank look at her.

"Higuras-!" The noble was cut off abruptly when the smaller shinigami suddenly grabbed a hold of the front of his scarf and **yanked** him down to the floor with her. Nose-to-nose, he was highly aware that their current positions were very... inappropriate.

"Someone. Is. Following. Me." the former time traveler grit out slowly, a dangerously calm glint entering her blue eyes, "Make. Them. Stop."

The words processed a second later, and he was slowly peeling her fingers from his front. "... Who."

"I don't know! That's what worries me!" she hissed quietly, almost afraid to talk too loudly. She watched him rise to his feet and absently hold out a hand to her while he scanned the area for threats. What had him stumped, though, was that he **didn't** feel any threats. Was Higurashi going insane? Already?

Kagome shyly took his hand and almost tripped as he pulled her to her feet. Luckily, he managed to catch her in time. Which put her flushed against him awkwardly. Wide blue eyes gazed up at him helplessly and Byakuya let out a quiet breath as he leaned down until their noses touched again. His mouth brushed hers tentatively and her eyes fluttered shut in acceptance-

"CAPTAIN!" Higurashi suddenly shouted, snapping him out of his haze. Blinking rapidly, the nobleman focused his gaze again to find himself on the floor nose-to-nose with a worried looking Kagome. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to jarr you. Is anything broken?"

_'Aside from my head, no,'_ Byakuya thought, merely shaking his head in negative. He couldn't believe he'd started **fantasizing** about her! And right in **front** of her too!

Kagome tilted her head in suspicion. The look in his eyes hadn't faded completely. "You sure?"

"I assure you, Higurashi, that my facilities are in working order," he grit out in annoyance, making her bite her lip and nod. She had no choice but to believe him.

"Right. I was telling you that someone was following me and it was creeping me out worse than when Captain Zaraki gives me that look that screams he wants to fight me." He knew exactly what she was talking about, and he'd made sure to be nearby incase the larger Captain decided to give it a go. So far, he'd managed to shield his much smaller subordinate from the advances, though they were becoming more frequent. He wondered if Miroku knew about this...

"I see. And you want me to make them stop aggravating you?" He stood, brushing himself off and held out a hand to her.

"No, I want you to walk with me and maybe hold them down while I beat the living daylights out of them," Kagome replied, blinking innocently at his hand before shaking her head and pushing herself to her feet.

_'Nothing is simple with this woman, is it?'_ the Kuchiki head thought, gray eyes flashing in slight annoyance before he got himself back under control. _'I attempt to be the gentleman and she disregards it!'_

"I... see... Does the monk know about this?"

"Contrary to popular belief, Captain, Miroku is **not** my keeper," the smaller shinigami ground out, her eye starting to twitch just so as she started out of his door again. If only to make sure she didn't destroy any of the barracks' property, he decided to follow her. It **wasn't** because he was worried or annoyed that someone else was insisting on bothering her.

"Of course. You are your own woman, therefore liable to take care of yourself... unless it involves Zaraki."

"Hey, Captain Zaraki is terrifying. Have you noticed that he's been showing up a lot more at random intervals? It's like he's stalking you, Captain!" the former priestess replied, getting an odd look from her squad leader. "What?"

"He's not stalking me. It's you he's after."

"But-! I-! I don't **get** that! I'm not that strong!"

"He seems to believe otherwise," Byakuya countered quietly. Sliding a sidelong glance at the befuddled girl, he could sense her weakened spirit energy spluttering in fury. It was still a mystery why her energy hadn't completely recovered from her stint in the Medical Ward. One that had sent Miroku into a scramble to try and find a way to break the 'seal' that was still apparently rather intact on the girl's soul. The noble was honestly all for the removal of it, and the sooner it was done, the sooner Kagome could go back to being herself. This had been the first time since her endeavour with Captain Ukitake that one of their conversations hadn't been stilted or awkward... or started in a drunken stupor, on her part. It seemed that teasing her put her more at ease around him, but there was only so much needling he could accomplish before he felt like he'd be coming off as an arrogant asshole.

"Well... I'm not!" Kagome stamped her foot in agitation and blew out a breath in frustration.

"I do not pretend to know how his mind works," the Captain replied, checking their surroundings carefully for whatever it was that the smaller shinigami was deeming a threat. So far, nothing was pinging off of his senses. He followed her out into the courtyard with a mind to reach over and smack the girl upside the head for being so inattentive.

"He's so... so..." Shaking her head, Kagome dropped off as she looked around. Slowing down to a creep and absently fisting a hand in her Captain's sleeve, she furrowed her brows and muttered quietly, "That's odd. There was something here..."

"Perhaps whatever it was has grown bored of your absence," Byakuya replied, shrugging when she goggled up at him. It was a valid possibility.

"I... don't think that's it. Maybe because I've got you here..." the former time traveler countered softly, getting an elegantly raised brow from the nobleman. She didn't need to know that inside the man was feeling rather smug about that idea. "I guess... I don't need help after all." Stepping away from the nobleman, she let him go and took a few steps forward. Then turning, she bowed sheepishly and bit her lip. "Sorry about bothering you, Captain."

The Kuchiki head watched her walk away with a sudden sense of loss, and before he could stop himself, he found himself calling out to her anyway. She was right, there **was** something out here watching.

"Higurashi?"

"Yes?" Glancing back at him, she tilted her head to the side in an innocent manner Was something still bothering him?

"... Come back inside. Rukia will be by soon and I am sure she will wish to speak with you." It was a pitiful excuse, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about her being alone. Especially if Zaraki was prowling around nearby.

Gazing up at him with wide blue eyes, she carefully worded her answer, "Are... you sure I won't be... interfering?" Because she really didn't want to be a burden to the Kuchiki siblings.

Byakuya huffed quietly and leveled her with a gimlet stare. "There will be tea." He said it as though that one statement was the source of making all of her problems go away.

_'Well, if he insists...'_ the priestess thought, shrugging her shoulders and making her way back to the barracks, her squad leader following closely behind. Inwardly, she giggled and thanked him for being at least a little bit perceptive, and maybe slightly protective even.

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"Well? Where is she?" a voice in the dark questioned, testy patience already wearing thin.

"Master Mayuri, I apologize. At the last moment, Captain Kuchiki convinced Kagome Higurashi to return to the Squad 6 barracks. I had no chance to apprehend her once she fled to his office without becoming suspicious."

"... Nemu, your dimwittedness never ceases to amaze me," Captain Kurotsuchi growled, waving the girl off and turning back to his computer, "If he finds out that the girl is much more than she seems, then I will **never** get a chance to go near her! Something this rare should be recorded, not kept loced away!"

"I apologize, Master," Nemu murmured, bowing deeply to her leader.

"Idiot! A priestess in our midsts! And one as powerful as her! To obtain the information that I could from studying her would be monumental!" Kurotsuchi ranted, typing furiously and watching the data flow on the screen.

"I understand. I will continue to try to bring Kagome Higurashi to you."

"See that you do!"

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A shiver skated down Miroku's spine and he watched the fluffy clouds pass overhead. Something ominous was heading in their direction, and he was pretty sure it would have to do with Kagome.

_'Kagome-sama... Please don't do anything rash...'_

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A/N: And all done! Yayz! Now with more suspense! I hope you guys can forgive my horribly long absence. Unfortunately, until school lets out in December, I'm afraid the trend will be continuing. Updates will be when I get the chance to write up the chapters.

Please review!


	13. Karma

Summary

When karma bites back, it bites hard. And even perverts can be protective of their designated victims.

A/N: Oh Shunsui. I do adore you! And now I will use you! Hahahaa!

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Kagome hummed cheerfully under her breath as she walked down the stretch of road. Next to her, and wondering what had her in such a good mood, Miroku watched the sky absently and worded his sentence very carefully in his head.

"So, I got another 'recommendation' to vacate the Seiretei or join the Academy again." The happy priestess stopped mid-hum and graced him with a slightly pained look.

"What is this, the fourth or fifth one? Maybe you should just do it, Miroku," she murmured, glancing around her to hide the fact that she was upset, "I mean, you'd probably breeze through the school in, like, four years." At his incredulous look, she shrugged, "You're that smart, you know. Not to mention you'd probably jump right into a seated position the moment you graduated."

"It... I apologize, Kagome-sama, but I decided the moment I met you again that my sole purpose for remembering all of our times alive was to keep you safe and remain in your company," the monk replied, grinning happily and putting an arm around the flabbergasted girl's shoulder, "So, unless they let me into Squad 6, and that would only be **if** I decided to attend the Academy, I will refuse any and every summons to part me from your side."

"Mi-Miroku, that's one of the sweetest things I think you've ever said to me!" Kagome gushed, tears shining in her eyes.

"Well, I **am** entitled to say nice things now and then," he replied, grinning happily before leveling her with a suddenly sullen look, "Wait! What about the times I asked you to bear my child?"

"I said no, remember?"

"Well yes, but you were only doing that to prolong the glory of conquering your lovely lithe-!" she reached over and pinched him on the arm before he could finish that sentence. While he moaned in pain, she continued down the road, a slight bounce in her step. Miroku was just Miroku, and he certainly wouldn't be himself if he wasn't perverted.

"Come on, Casanova. I want to actually get some things done today before Captain Kuchiki makes me go through sword drills again."

"Yes, of course, milady," her old friend grumbled sarcastically, sidling up to her in resignation. Kagome nodded and turned away-

-only to twitch angrily and whip around to slap the crap out of the monk. "I swear, Miroku! Keep your damn hands to themselves!"

"Sorry, sorry! Reflex!"

Stomping away from him in exasperation, she turned the corner and skidded to a halt. There, floating before her nose was...

"... A rose petal?" the former time traveler murmured, watching it innocently drop to the ground at her feet. "What the hell?" Another one caught her attention and she glanced up.

"Kagome? What-!"

"It's raining... roses?" Kagome announced quietly, blinking when one red petal landed on her shoulder. Miroku stood in confusion as he observed the raining flora around them.

"Please, stop throwing them already! They're being wasted now!" a voice cried out desperately, drawing the two friends' attention. Peeking around the corner, with the monk hovering just over her head, Kagome almost rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "Nanao! I said enough!"

The sight was odd to begin with. The man, no shinigami, waving his arms around was not only wearing a pink ladies kimono over his robes, but a sakkat and little red pinwheel hairpins in his long wavy brown ponytail. "We're just practicing right now! Nanao!"

"I wonder... who that is?" Kagome asked quietly, snorting when she noticed the dark-haired woman standing atop a building and holding a basket of red rose petals. "So that's where they came from." She outright giggled when the obviously annoyed woman got fed up with the man below and upturned the basket onto his head before walking away.

"Perhaps a kindred spirit?" Miroku grinned, amused by their antics. Kagome shook her head. She certainly hoped not!

"Ah, I see we have guests," the man glanced in their direction and smiled slightly, "Dear sweet little Nanao! Come down from there! We have visitors!" A second later, the woman reappeared next to him in a blur and smacked him upside the head with a fairly large book before huffing and adjusting her glasses.

"Don't mind him. He's always like this when he's drunk," she demured, bowing slightly and surverying the two dark-haired people that came from around the corner curiously.

"I think... I can understand your exasperation," Kagome grinned, shifting her head in Miroku's direction, "I deal with him every day."

"Kagome! You say that like it's a chore!" the monk gasped, dramatically placing a hand over his heart and sporting a wounded look.

"It is."

"You hurt me with your cruel unfeeling words, my dear friend." Turning his attention back to the duo watching them, he reached forward and took one of Nanao's hands. She jumped suddenly in surprise and gripped her book a little tighter. "Do you see the pain I must endure every day, lovely young lady? Kagome is quite heartless when she wants to be."

"Yes, it's heartless that I let you live. It's even more so when I stop my Lieutenant from cleaving you in two with his Zanpakuto," the priestess deadpanned, a blank look crossing her features before she shook her head and slapped him on the arm. Immediately, he winced and let go of the other female. "And it's especially heartless that I decide to save you from being beaten to death by a book."

The brown-haired man snickered in amusement and had to give the smaller girl props. She really knew how to handle her handsy friend. He'd been annoyed when the monk had taken such liberties with his Lieutenant, but he'd let it go when things had been corrected.

"Forgive me. I don't think we've introduced ourselves. My name is Shunsui Kyoraku. This is Nanao Ise, my Lieutenant." Kagome gasped and bowed quickly while Miroku twitched suddenly in fear. He'd just tried to hit on another Lieutenant. And in front of her Captain, no less. How was he not dead yet?

_'Thank you, Kagome-sama,'_ the monk thought, sending a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi. This is Miroku, my friend. We're pleased to meet you both."

_'So, this is Kagome Higurashi. Very interesting,'_ he thought, rubbing his chin and surveying the petite woman. She was exactly what Jushiro had described. Friendly, outgoing, kind, and very capable of taking care of herself. _'Though he failed to mention how pretty she was... I guess it's part of the reason why she seems to have caught Byakuya's attention.'_

Of course, Jushiro hadn't told him that he was standing in front of one of the most honored and celebrated spiritual figureheads in the history of Japan. But then, Jushiro didn't really know all that much about the Shikon Priestess. The sickly man hadn't been as interested in the topic of the legendary beauty as he had.

"I see. Well, I think the honor's really all ours... Lady Kagome of the Shikon," Kyoraku murmured, bowing slightly and grinning at the shocked expression on the priestess's face. Nanao sucked in a breath and was watching her much more intently. Between one heartbeat and the next, though, Miroku was suddenly between them, violet eyes hard and angry.

"Who told you," the raven-haired man ground out, brandishing his shakujo threateningly.

"Hmm? No one. I figured it out on my own," the Captain replied, the grin still in place as the surprise began to wear from Kagome's features and was replaced with worry.

"How... How many people know my true identity?" she asked tremulously, afraid of what the answer would be. If her Captain actually knew and he had only been pulling her leg the entire time...

"Only a small handful, truly. Nanao and I, of course, because I used to read your story to her when she was a little girl," Kyoraku answered, winking conspiritorially and leaning closer to the two friends, "To be honest, she's rather starstruck by your bravery, milady." Kagome glanced at the Lieutenant and almost winced at the complete admiration sparkling in the woman's eyes. That was what she'd been afraid of.

"You're really the Shikon Priestess?"

"... Yes."

"I thought your story was beautiful! I've always wanted to meet you, Lady Kagome!" Nanao gushed, stepping around Miroku and suddenly taking the younger girl's hands, "What you accomplished was truly bringing an end to a terrible menace. I just... I've always wanted to thank you for your courage."

While Kagome was slowly being overwhelmed, Miroku turned back to the amused man and cleared his throat, "Is there anyone else we should be aware of?"

"Jushiro knows of her, but he wouldn't make that kind of connection right away. The only reason I did was because of who she looks like."

"Lady Kikyo."

"Exactly. Your friend is an almost perfect match to the very few portraits of the priestess. There are, of course, a few differences here and there that, if your looking for them, can help you tell them apart. I expect she was the reincarnation, and the one that pieced the Jewel back together after Lady Kikyo's death."

"... She was."

"Ahh, well, I know, the Head Captain knows, and... I believe Captain Kurotsuchi could figure it out in the very near future," Kyoraku continued, ticking off names and glancing up at the sky for a moment, "Oh! And Sosuke Aizen knew."

"... Who?"

"Former Captain of Squad 5. Sosuke Aizen betrayed the Soul Society about two months back. He's disappeared at this point, but we all know he's still out there somewhere. In fact, it's probably a good thing your friend didn't join the Squads until after he left. I'm pretty sure he would have pulled some strings to get her close."

"That... is an unsettling thought," Miroku murmured, disturbed by how simliar this Captain Aizen sounded to another foe they'd fought in the past. Surely not...

"I wouldn't worry too much about her. Your friend is surrounded by people that seem to want to keep her safe," the brunette nodded and Miroku looked back to the women... and almost couldn't contain his laughter. Nanao was now getting Kagome to awkwardly sign the legendary story about her tales of the Shikon no Tama in a small volume that the woman apparently kept very close to her.

_'Poor Kagome. She was never one to take fame very well. She's just... too humble,'_ the monk thought, watching his friend bite her lip and carefully print her name and an encouraging note in small letters to the thrilled Lieutenant.

"Say, do you think she'd mind if I asked her on a date?" Kyoraku asked out loud, unaware of how furious Miroku became at merely the thought of the idea. In a sense, he could now understand why Byakuya became so angry.

"I will never allow it," the monk grit out, stalking forward after Kagome smiled up at Nanao and taking her by the arm, "I'm the **only** one allowed to pull that kind of stunt with her and live!" Dragging her off, Nanao watched them go with a sigh and turned back to her confused Captain.

"Do you think it's really all right for Lady Kagome to stay in the company of such a perverted man?"

"My dear, it's not as though she'd be any safer with me, now would it?" the brunette laughed, placing an arm over his indignant subordinate's shoulders.

"No, I suppose not," Nanao sniffed stiffly, allowing the man to lead her away, "And I'm not picking up all those flower petals, Captain."

"Awww! You wound me, my dearest little Nanao!"

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"Is there a reason why you look ready to start foaming at the mouth like a rabid puppy, Miroku?" Kagome asked, peeking at the annoyed monk as he led her back through the gates into the Seiretei.

"Don't go near him without myself, Lieutenant Abarai, or Lord Kuchiki around, okay?" the monk ground out, pulling her in the direction of the Squad 6 barracks. At her dark look, he added hastily, "It's just not safe, milady. When I said kindred spirit, I didn't realize how close to the truth I was."

"Great, another pervert," the priestess grumbled, huffing quietly and turning a corner. She came up short suddenly, and nearly ran into someone...

"Eep!" She recognized that broad chest. And that monsterous spiritual pressure.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd ever sneak off without your guard dog Captain, pussycat," Kenpachi Zaraki grinned, lifting a hand and intentionally mussing up Kagome's hair.

"Ca-Captain Zaraki! What... What are you doing here?" Kagome managed to get out between her chattering teeth. How had she **not** sensed him!

Scratch that! How had **Miroku** not sensed him? Glancing at the monk out of the corner of her eye, she noted the slack-jawed expression on his face

"Kagome? Who-!"

"Hey! It's Koneko-chan!" Yachiru interrupted, popping up over Kenpachi's shoulder and waving spastically at the flabbergasted duo. "Hi Koneko-chan!"

"Umm... He-hello, Lieutenant Kusajishi," the other girl murmured, swallowing the lump in her throat before moving her gaze higher and giving the still grinning Kenpachi a tentative nod, "Captain. How are the two of you doing?"

"Fine. Just wandering around looking for a fight," the big Captain answered lazily. That put her on edge. He couldn't have followed her out here just to fight her, could he?

Yachiru's answer was very different. "We're waiting for San-San! She was gone on a long mission and she's getting bac really soon! I told Kenny that we should go meet her and tell her how happy we are to see her again!"

"Who's San-San?" Kagome asked, blinking innocently as Miroku suddenly paled. No... It just couldn't be!

"Never mind that!" Kenpachi waved the question away, his wide smile gaining a few more degrees of insanity, "I see you have your sword on you, pussycat. You know what that means?"

"Ummm... Run like hell the opposite way?" the dark-haired shinigami squeaked in response as the larger man reached for his blade. Miroku tensed and lifted his shakujo. If he had to, he would stop this man to make sure Kagome got away safely. Although the Captain's haori he was wearing did make him a little nervous. This guy was **strong**!

"Captain Zaraki?" a voice behind Kagome asked uncertainly, "What are you doing here?"

"San-San! Welcome back!" Yachiru chirped, grinning enormously and launching over her Captain's head to land in front of the person behind Kagome. The priestess glanced behind her in question and thought her heart almost stopped. Dressed in the same shihakusho as herself was a woman that was a little taller than her with long brown hair tied up in a high ponytail and sparkling cinnamon brown eyes. Those eyes, which had been happily watching the little pink-haired girl jump around her glanced up sharply at the gasp that caught her attention.

"... San... go?"

"... Ka-! Oomph!" she never got to finish. The other woman had forgone Kenpachi's raised brow, let out a shriek, and threw herself at the brunette almost violently.

"Sango! You're here! And you're alive! Well, alive here, but not there! What happened? When did you get here? How long have you been a shinigami? Where's Hiraikotsu? What about Kirara and your brother? What happened after I left?" Kagome fired off rapid questions that the former taijiya couldn't even begin to answer.

"Hey! Wait a minute! Don't ignore me!" the Squad 11 leader growled. The two women didn't seem to hear him and he huffed and squeezed the hilt of his sword in agitation.

"Woah! Kagome! Breathe!" Sango managed to get out, hugging the priestess just as fiercely and sniffling happily. Damn it! She wasn't going to cry! Especially not in front of her Captain!

"I-I-I know! I just... I've been looking for you for a long time!" the other girl laughed, smiling up at her closest friend, "You **must** tell me everything! Miroku hasn't said a peep since I met up with him, and I'm sure your story is a little different than his."

"Of course! I have nothing to hide, after all," the brunette replied, sending a heavy look at the monk that had remained oddly silent throughout the whole exchange. Kagome blinked and glanced at Miroku. Why was he being to reserved?

"... Miroku? Are you okay?"

"... Yes. I'm... merely in shock." The monk cleared his throat and offered a strained smile to the former taijiya, "It's good to see you well, Sango."

"You as well, Miroku," she answered back, sadness flickering in her gaze before she shook it off. It wouldn't do to upset Kagome right now. Not when they'd just found eachother. Turning back to the priestess, she let a wide grin spread across her face, "So, I see you're wearing a shihakusho. What squad are you in, Kagome-chan?"

"Squad 6! How about you? Hey! Maybe you can help me work on my kido! I have so much to tell you!"

"Ahh... My kido is almost non-existent. That's part of the reason I'm in Squad 11," Sango countered sheepishly, tugging absently on her ponytail. Kagome's blue eyes widened and she squeaked again.

"You're in... Squad 11? With Yumichika-san and Ikkaku-san? And..."

"So you haven't forgotten about me," Kenpachi grumbled, glaring at his subordinate and the woman responsible for getting them off track, "Because I'm still waiting for that fight, you know."

"I'm **not** strong enough to do **any** kind of damage to you, Captain Zaraki!" Kagome ground out, blue eyes flashing up at the tall man in annoyance, "I've told you again and again; I'm not fighting you. I don't know why you insist that I am!"

"You challenged Kagome-chan?" Sango spluttered, brown eyes wide as she stared up at her leader. Kenpachi snorted and tapped his blade against his leg absently.

"Of course I did. She's hiding her true power." At that, the brunette took a close look at her friend and her brows furrowed in confusion. There was something wrong with Kagome's spiritual pressure. It wasn't...

"Kagome?"

"... I'll tell you what's been going on later. For now," the priestess finally sighed, glancing up at the sky and letting out a breath of long-suffering, "I gotta get back to the barracks. I was running an errand for Lieutenant Abarai and I don't want to be late for squad practice."

"Of course! I'll catch up with you after I've settled back in, okay?" With a happy nod, Kagome reached over and started to quickly drag Miroku away before he could snap out of his funk and try to grope Sango. Or herself. Meanwhile, the taijiya gave her Captain a dark glare as she got ready to berate him for trying to challenge her best friend.

"Let's go before we get caught in her tirade," the raven-haired girl muttered, steering around a corner and pulling the monk along, "Or before Captain Zaraki realizes I just got away again." Somehow, Sango had managed to keep the big man's attention as they snuck away as quickly and quietly as possible. Yachiru had taken to crawling up the taijiya's back and was currently attempting to braid it in an amatuer fashion.

Miroku shivered and let her take the lead. He remembered all too well how Sango's lectures went. They were usually followed by a lot of pain. "Indeed. Let's head back."

A few moments of silence later, Kagome was watching him out of the corner of her eyes. "Are you going to tell me why you looked ready to run screaming the other way when we saw Sango again?"

"It's... a long and **very** painful story, milady." Very **very** painful.

"Well, I'm here whenever you're ready. It's not like I'm going anywhere." She said it with a blaise non-chalance, but he could hear the sincerity in her words. It made the worried part of his heart unclench in thankfulness, and he smiled a little awkwardly at her.

"Let me sort through some things and I'll tell you my side. After all, not all of us ended up with a happily ever after when you were taken from us, Kagome-sama," Miroku finally sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair and staring up at the sky.

As far as karma went, this absolutely sucked.

Kagome nodded and let him ponder while she chewed that over. It was starting to look like Miroku and Sango hadn't ended up together like she'd previously believed. And she had to wonder what might have changed that after her disappearance into time.

_'There are so many possibilities. I really won't know until one of them tells me.'_ Glancing at Miroku again, she bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. _'And it better be damn well soon too.'_

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A/N: Yay! Finally they meet up with Sango! And look! Another twist in the plot! Don't worry, all the stories will come out soon! Until next time, my fellows, I'll see you soon!


	14. Seals

Summary

She wonders if it would just be easier to tell him about her past before it's too late. Miroku resolves to find another way to research seals...

A/N: This one is a little more serious, and has the dregs of some kind of plot. Wait? There's a plot? Yes. Yes there is. Vaguely. Now, on to the fun stuff! Enjoy!

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It was frustrating to find that though the Kuchiki manor had a rather impressive lirary to boast of, almost none of the information he was looking for happened to be in said library. It was even more frustrating to realize that the only place in the Sereitei that **could** possibly have the information he was trying to get a hold of was probably in the Research and Development Lab of Squad 12. Unfortunately, Kagome seemed to avoid Squad 12 like the place possessed a plague. It was mostly due to the fact that the Captain was a bit of a fanatic when it came to interesting "specimens", as he liked to put it. He was equally sure that Kagome just happened to be one of those interesting ones that the manic mad scientist had yet to get a hold of.

Miroku sighed in annoyance and ran a hand through his hair. There was little else to do. He was going to have to break in there to get what he needed. The alternative was too painful to even attempt to consider.

"Are you okay, Miroku?" said reason for concern asked, waving her hand in front of his face. He automatically grabbed it in a suave way and batted his lashes at the unaffected priestess.

"But of course, my dearest friend! The day is a lovely one, made even more so by the beautiful smile that you grace me with," he answered smoothly, not betraying a hint of his unease. His hand was suddenly smacked and he withdrew immediately. He'd forgotten that there was an audience with them today.

"Perhaps you will live to see the end of it if you keep comments like **that** to yourself, monk," Byakuya Kuchiki intoned icily. This caused Kagome to bite her lip to keep from smiling at how amusing the two acted. Honestly, her old friend was just screaming for a beating if he kept it up. In a sense, her Captain was very much like her old hanyou friend; minus the brash attitude and the tendency to compare her to a former lover. It was almost the protective streak from Inuyasha set in the icy personality of Sesshomaru. The thought alone sent a chill of fear down her spine.

"Of course, my esteemed lord. I humbly apologize if my behaviour had caused you any distress... or indigestion," the other man replied, sagely nodding his head as he noted the white-knuckled grip the noble had on his chopsticks.

"Oh, knock it off, Miroku. He'll jab those in your eye if you keep it up," the priestess giggled, sending a happy grin at her disgruntled leader that had his heart suddenly beating faster.

"I don't think he'll want my germs, my considerate friend," Miroku countered, actually winking at the visibly cool look sent to him. The family head suddenly pushed his plate aside and delicately set down his chopsticks. Reaching over, Kagome pinched the rambunctious monk and shook her head, the smile never leaving her face. Despite the fact that her superior didn't seem to trust Miroku as far as he could throw him, she was pretty sure that he **did** see him as a valuable ally to have.

"This conversation is ridiculous. We are here for a reason, monk. What have you found out?" The cheerful atmosphere died down and Miroku trained his gaze on the table.

"Not very much, unfortunately. Though your family's library is vast, it doesn't contain enough of the detailed information I need," the monk replied, automatically reaching out a hand and capturing Kagome's when she gave a quiet sigh. Just this once, Byakuya decided to let the action slide.

"...Perhaps Captain Ukitake might be able to tell us that he's found something?" the former priestess pressed, keeping her gaze locked on her old friend as he shook his head.

"I have already spoken with the Captain. He's not found much more than what I have. With the combined information, we know this much."

Both parties paid close attention to the next words. "We have surmised that when you first came to the Soul Society, someone placed this suppresser on you. I imagine it was shortly before you woke in the Rukongai. Then, as time went on, it was slowly supposed to suck away your powers and energy until you became nothing more than the average soul. However, you showed enough potential to get into the Academy before the seal could accomplish this. Every time you used your powers, I imagine that it drained you just a little more."

At that, Kagome nodded, her brows drawn together in concentration. "When I first got to the Academy, I was near the top of the class because I had really good control over my reishi. Over the years, though, I kept dropping more and more until I barely graduated."

"Exactly."

For a moment, there was a lull in the conversation. Then, surprisingly, Byakuya spoke up.

"Had you stayed at that level instead of being forced to drop so far in rank, you would have graduated and likely become a seated officer," he murmured, ignoring the two sets of wide eyes staring at him, "You had the correct potential. At the moment, though, you are barely qualifying as a shinigami in any aspect."

Kagome clenched her hands and grit her teeth in anger. Whoever had done this had probably ruined her chances of furthering her career as a shinigami! Letting go of the small ball of fury that had built in her chest, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"At the rate I'm going, I'll have no choice but to put up my sword pretty soon."

"Not necessarily, Kagome," Miroku countered after a moment of hesitation. The girl snapped firey blue eyes to him and he was pinned with an equally viscious pair of grey eyes. "Think of it this way. You remember how you could barely control your powers before?" At her nod, he continued very carefully. If he slipped up even once, the noble sitting with them would be tipped off to who, exactly, Kagome was. "Remember the other seal?"

Kagome's eyes widened and she stared at him. "Is... it the same? Do you really think that the je-"

"No. I'm pretty sure **that** has nothing to do with this. After all, you got rid of it in the end." He cut her off, slanting a glance at Byakuya before giving the former time traveler a discreet shake of his head. "I do believe, however, that the concept is similar."

The Kuchiki head was quickly becoming annoyed. He knew, for a fact, that the two friends were talking of something extremely important, and that he was deliberately being left out of the big picture. It was really starting to grate on his nerves.

"How so?"

"With enough pressure, we **can** break it."

"But, it took us a long time to break the other! If the idea is similar, then-!"

"There is no guardian this time. Things will be much simpler now."

"If you're going to continue to dance around your point, I will force you to reveal whatever special information you seem to be hiding away, monk," Byakuya interrupted, raising his chin arrogantly and staring down the other man. Miroku had the decency to lower his gaze and peeked a glance at the priestess sitting next to him. She'd bitten her lip again, agitating it more than usual while thinking.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Kagome nodded hesitantly and cleared her throat. "I... You know I remember when I was alive, right Captain?" The squad leader's attention was immediately fixed on her. "This has to do with then. My abilities were pretty volatile even when I was alive. The reason was because there was a seal put on me. Eventually, I was able to break it, but it took a lot out of me because there was a guardian over that portion of my powers that had to be... eliminated."

"And you believe that this seal may be similar?" Both holy figures nodded. "Then perhaps you should go about this the same way."

"If we did, it would cause a lot of problems and attract unwanted attention," Miroku countered, sighing quietly and staring at his tea, "If only Kaede-sama were here..."

"If we..." Kagome hesitated, then went ahead and plowed on. At this point, it would probably be easier for her Captain to know about her past, "If we found Kaede, do you think she'll remember us, let alone what we might be able to do?"

"There's always a chance," the monk answered, shrugging his shoulders half-heartedly, "After all, Sango and I remember everything. It's likely anyone touched by those events personally will."

"Then I'll ask Sango the next time I see her." Mind made up, the former time traveler went back to her lunch with determination. She was going to get through this.

Even if it meant losing her powers in the process.

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Sango swung her practice blade down and the wood cracked loudly against the dummy she was training against. Said dummy shook with the force of the blow before the former taijiya devoted her attention to her closest girl friend. "You really think it's another seal?"

"Yeah. It's too convenient to not be," Kagome shrugged, swinging at her own dummy with a shinai of her own. "I just have no idea how to go about removing it. And, at the rate it's going, I'm not going to be able to even call on my Zanpakuto when I need her. I don't like that at all."

The brunette next to her bit her lip in consideration before she slowly continued, "Well... when Kohaku and I came here, we were actually found by Kaede-sama, so I bet she would know something about what to do."

Kagome dropped her blade in shock and whipped her gaze around to her friend. "Are you serious! You know where Kaede is?" When the taller girl nodded, she shot forward and enveloped her in a crushing hug. "That's perfect! When can I go see her? I really need to talk to her about this! And... and I miss her too!"

"Woah! Slow down, Kagome! I'm not completely sure where exactly she is because they move from district to district! I've gotta get a letter from Kohaku first before we can go out there, or we'll be wandering around for days!" Sango choked out, brown eyes wide and pleading as she begged for the former priestess to let her go. She got her wish and Kagome danced around her in excitement.

"That's great! Let me know as soon as you get the letter, and we'll go see them!" the former time traveler answered giddily, the enormous smile never leaving her face. For once, she felt like she was finally going to get somewhere with this whole seal business.

"Of course. I was waiting for one so that I could tell you about her anyway."

Neither noticed the shadow slipping away from them, deep in contemplation.

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Miroku paced agitatedly in front of the Research and Development Lab, waiting for the feeling of the aura on the other side of the doors to settle down into a semblance of sleep. If he was caught...

"Hey." The voice made the monk jump, and he whipped around brandishing his shakujo in defense before he heard a snort and the person in the shadows stepped into the light. The merry jingle of bells didn't make him feel any better as he came face to face with the Captain of Squad 11.

"You are... Captain Zaraki, correct?"

"That's right. You're that friend of the little pussycat that Sango is so attached to," the taller man murmured, tilting his head before letting loose a lazy grin, "You heard my bells? Not very many people can. You must be strong too."

"I assure you that I am not as strong as you think I am. Merely highly attuned to spirit energy," Miroku countered in a deeptively calm voice. Inwardly, he was sweating bullets. He still couldn't completely figure out Kenpachi's volatile reishi, and that worried him. "May I ask why you're here, Captain?"

"I overheard Sango talking and she said the cat's got a seal of some kind on her. That true?" The monk blanched, unsure about how to go about this encounter. "If so, I wanna help break it."

"W-What? Why?" Now he was just confused.

"Because it's no fun if the kitty cat gets her claws clipped before she gets to really use them, now is it?" Kenpachi replied, the smile becoming a few degrees more insane, "I want to see how strong she really is. To do that, this 'seal' has to go."

_'Aside from the excuse of __**why**__ he wants to help, it wouldn't hurt to have another powerful ally on the inside,'_ the smaller ma thought, rubbing his chin absently for a second before making his decision, _'Oh, who am I kidding! Even if I said no, he'd probably jump in anyway and cause a disturbance.'_

"Very well. I accept your proposal."

"Good. Now, what the hell are you doing out here?"

"I'm waiting patiently for the Research and Development Lab to be emptied. I need to get in there without being seen in order to look up some information on this seal," Miroku explained, glancing back at the doors before narrowing his eyes as he concentrated. He could still detect two prescences behind the doors, and they had been there for a long time. It was highly disconcerting.

"Good luck with that. Kurotsuchi and his Lieutenant are in there all the time when there aren't any meetings to deal with," the Captain snorted, tapping his unsheathed blade against his leg absently before striding forward. "If you want in, you're going to have to get another Captain."

The monk nodded, already knowing where this situation was going. It was a good thing he'd decided to agree to Kenpachi's help.

"Very well. What did you have in mind, sir?"

Kenpachi grinned psychotically. "Oh... You'll see..."

_'I have a feeling that this is going to be extremely illegal,'_ Miroku thought, swallowing slowly as he let the taller man lead the way into the Lab. _'But it's worth it for Kagome's sake. Anything is.'_

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A/N: A little bit of plot development, and Kenny's joined the resistance! Yayz for him! I wonder how well Kagome's going to take that news? It's bound to be interesting!

Anyways, let me know what you guys think! I'm kinda on a roll as far as updates go right now, so I'm hoping to crank out a few more chapters of some things before I hit the brick wall called writer's block again. Haaah, I've been climbing that one for a while now. It would be so much easier if I could just transfer thought onto computer without the process of typing it up. I'd have **so** much more done! Well, I can dream.

Reviews are nice. I like to hear back from you guys!


	15. Concentration

Summary

She gets a visit from a rather unexpected someone...

A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates! I've been working some weird hours recently. Like 4am in the morning weird. It completely ruins the chance for me to do anything else by the tiime I get home. All I want to do at that point is sleep. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy!

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She had to admit it; the gardens in the Kuchiki manor were extremely relaxing. In fact, they were the perfect place for meditation. Kagome let her eyes slide closed and took in a deep breath as she sat with her legs tucked serenely under her in the middle of one of the smaller gardens. The crisp clean smell of the air sent a pleasant tingle down her spine.

It reminded her of the Sengoku Jidai.

_'So peaceful... I wonder if Captain Kuchiki will let me come back to do this more often? He'd probably be fine with it if it helps me concentrate better.'_ Opening her eyes, she gazed up at the trees that were just starting to bud, _'I bet it's beautiful when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom...'_

Shaking her head, she took another breath and shut her eyes again, reminding herself that she wasn't here to play. She was here for meditation.

_'I also need to thank Rukia again for letting me in today. I wouldn't have been able to do this with all the things Miroku's been working on recently.'_ The former priestess had been badgering her monk friend over the past couple of days about what he'd been up to. His response had been to inform her that if they were going to start working on breaking the seal, she would need to begin calming and clearing her mind again. When no further information was forthcoming, Kagome had huffed and flounced off to find Rukia to let off some steam.

The younger Kuchiki sibling had then cheerfully invited her to use the gardens on her brother's property for relaxation. Kagome had grudgingly accepted, insisting that she would stay out of the way so she wouldn't be bothering the clan.

And now, here she was. Calm, collected, relaxed...

_'And bored... I was never all that amazing at mediation,'_ the ex-time traveler thought, blowing her bangs out of her face absently before scooting that thought out of her mind. She needed to stop thinking about so much!

Several minutes later, she was resolutely trying to think of nothing with very little success.

The priestess was so focused inward that she never felt the cool aura coming up next to her. She did, however, feel the tug of her dark purple ribbon coming loose and the sensation of her hair tumbling down around her. Gritting her teeth, Kagome snapped her eyes open and jerked to face the intruder.

"Captain! Will you **stop** already! I'm trying to conce-! AIGH!" she started, shrieking loudly and scrambling backwards when she realized that the man she was berating was **definitely** not her Captain. "Wha-! Who-! Who the hell are you?"

He merely stood over her, clutching her ribbon delicately as the wind picked up. Perhaps he was another Kuchiki? His general air sure screamed pride and superiority. He was dressed rather traditionally in samurai regalia with his long dark hair tied high to his head; but that mask... It was extremely intimidating! She couldn't see any of his face at all! The priestess blinked when a few brightly colored cherry blossoms danced in front of her vision, then gasped when her attention refocused on the her silent watcher.

He'd vanished into thin air.

"Wh-What? No way," the former time traveler whispered, swallowing harshly and looking around carefully. There was no sign of him **anywhere**! How the hell had he moved that fast?

_'I don't... understand. Who was that?'_ she thought, sitting up straighter and running a shaky hand through her hair. Her concentration was completely shot. There was no way she'd be able to meditate at this point. _'Miroku is going to be unhappy about that...'_ Another thought hit her and she twitched murderously, _'That samurai bastard __**stole my ribbon**__!'_

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"What, exactly, have you been up to," Byakuya asked as he passed under one of the verandas on his property, not even bothering to glance at his new companion, "Senbonzakura?" There was a tapping of shoes on the tiles and the whoosh of clothes as his visitor landed next to him on the other side.

"Nothing too overwhelming, Master." Deciding to let it go, the clan head merely shrugged and continued walking. His Zanpakuto fell into step beside him and the two males remained quiet for a few peaceful minutes.

"I believe I can understand your reasoning now, sir," the spirit finally spoke, elicting a single raised brow from the Captain next to him, "She has a certain fire to her that draws one in."

That stopped the nobleman in his tracks, an annoyed glare flitting across his features. "What are you talking about?"

"It's not like you to feign stupidity, Byakuya," Senbonzakura chided, pulling a familiar dark purple ribbon from his sleeve and letting it wave in the breeze teasingly in front of the other man. He'd seen Higurashi briefly today when she'd come back with his sister, chattering brightly with her ponytail waving in the breeze. That long dark hair had been tied up with a purple ribbon, and he'd resisted the initial itch to appear next to her to steal it. With a quick movement, it was snatched out of Senbonzakura's hand, and the masked spirit chuckled, "You're welcome, by the way."

"I specifically told you not to bother her!" Byakuya hissed, narrowing sharp gray eyes on his Zanpakuto as he stuffed the delicate wisp of material into his haori. He'd return it to her later... much later.

"I was curious," the other man shrugged, not the least bit repentant at his actions. He tilted his head a fraction to one side before smirking beneath his mask, "She's coming, by the way. Perhaps you should take a few more steps forward?"

"This isn't some elaborate game!" the clan head snapped, flicking his thumb over the hilt of his sword in his agitation.

"It could be... if you lightened up a little, Byakuya," Senbonzakura replied, his form glowing for a few seconds before he burst into a shower of cherry blossoms and faded away. _"She might just enjoy being chased, Master..."_

The Captain snorted quietly and waved away the fading blossoms before he stood completely still for a moment. He could hear Higurashi cursing about samurai that stole hair ribbons, and he grimaced inwardly.

She came barging through the trees in the next heartbeat and ran right into him. Sheer instinct kept them from tumbling to the ground as he pulled her close to steady her when she gasped in shock.

_'So that's what he meant by taking a few steps forward...'_ the noble thought faintly, his Zanpakuto's words echoing in his head. And then, he had to wonder if that was actually true. **Would** someone like Higurashi enjoy being chased?

C-Captain! I'm sorry!" Kagome squeaked, embarrassment causing her face to flush before she shook her head, "I was looking for someone, actually. Maybe you can help me?"

Byakuya grit his teeth in annoyance, knowing exactly who she would be describing to him but unable to tell her exactly who Senbonzakura was right away. It would make it look like he'd planned everything that might have happened, and he **refused** to be toyed with!

"Perhaps..." he started, deliberately pausing before changing the conversation's direction suddenly, "You've obviously been outside too long. Come. We'll return to the manor."

"E-Ehh? W-What do you mean?" The back of the aristocrat's hand brushed against her cheek, sending a fissure of shivers down her spine. His hand was actually pretty warm; she hadn't realized she'd been cold at all.

"You're cold," Byakuya stated quietly, turning his hand and letting it settle just under her jaw for a few precious seconds before he pulled her along towards the main house. It bothered him more than he cared to admit that she would think so little of her health. Perhaps it was because Hisana had been so ill all the time?

The Kuchiki head inwardly shook those thoughts away and started up the stairs onto the main porch with Kagome in tow. "Tea will be served. The last thing that needs to happen is for you to get sick. Again."

"R-Right... Thank you, Captain," Kagome answered automatically, letting the noble lead her around the large house. She still got lost occasionally when she didn't have Rukia to point out where she was. Which reminded her...

"Umm... About that person I was looking for..."

"You need not concern yourself with him. I will deal with him accordingly," Byakuya intoned, an icy note creeping into his voice. In the inner world Senbonzakura resided in, the spirit laughed.

"Okay... When you see him, tell him I want my ribbon back. It's bad enough I have to guard them from you," the priestess grumbled, crossing her arms and huffing as he ushered her into one of the sitting rooms, "I don't need someone else stealing them too."

"I will inform him." Satisfied with his answer, they fell into a quiet silence that wasn't entirely uncomfortable while waiting for the tea.

"So... Rukia went to visit Captain Ukitake today, right?"

"Yes. He was unwell again."

"Poor guy," Kagome muttered, a worried look on her face, "Maybe I should go visit him too?"

The Kuchiki noble grit his teeth to keep from snapping out an immediate "No!" and merely made a noncommental noise in the back of his throat. It was time to change the subject again. "Has the monk learned of anything else recently?"

"Only that I need to start relearning to center myself if I'm going to get this seal business over with," the priestess sighed, a glum expression flittering across her features, "Problem is I've never been very good with meditation." At her superior's raised brow, she flushed and continued, "I get distracted really easily. You could seriously wave something shiny in front of me and it would catch my attention."

"That is a problem. How did you manage to use your kido for so long in the academy?" he couldn't help but ask. Kido required a certain amount of concentration to be able to manifest properly. Kagome shrugged and tried not to look sheepish.

"I dunno. I just kinda flew with it. It was all really instinct for me."

Byakuya stared at her for a gobsmacked moment before he shook himself out of his incredulousness. How many times could she have injured herself or someone else?

"... We'll begin with that before we even consider your control issues," the Captain finally stated decisively, elicting an embarrassed flush from the smaller shinigami. She nodded and became extremely interested in her tea as it arrived. It was several minutes later before she spoke again.

"I... Thank you, Captain Kuchiki. You've been very patient with all of my problems, so I really appreciate it." Glancing up from a report he'd decided to read, Byakuya nodded at the priestess as she stared at her tea with an exasperated expression on her face, "Even when I don't completely know what's going on, you've been helping me the whole time." She looked up then and gave him a small smile, "So thank you."

"You are under my jurisdiction, Higurashi, and I take care of my own," the noble replied, a sense of stubborness creeping into what Kagome could read of his aura, "even if they are as riddled with problems and issues as yourself." She glared at him for a moment before waving him off and finishing her tea. Setting the cup aside, she rose to her feet and bowed politely to him. The Captain blinked. She was leaving? Already?

"I told Miroku that I would be back this afternoon. He said there were a few things he wanted to research before running them by me," Kagome explained, somehow managing to read the curiosity in his eyes as she started towards the door, "I'll let you know what happens and where we'll go from there."

"Very well. You will need to return here this weekend to go over some rudimentary lessons for your kido." The priestess flinched at the idea and Byakuya smirked inwardly, "Do not think that I have forgotten our wager, Higurashi. I will not tolerate you becoming a danger to everyone around you because you can't control your spells."

The former time traveler grumbled under her breath for a few seconds before muttering a "Fine" for him to hear. As she was leaving, he decided to add another log to the blaze.

"We will also be working on your lack of concentration." She glanced back at him with a deadpan expression before dropping her gaze and nodding sullenly. Then she was gone.

The Kuchiki leaned back in his seat, reveling in his accomplishments for the day. He'd successfully roped her into spending more time with him. Reaching into his sleeve, he fingered the dark purple ribbon and remembered that he needed to have another little talk with his Zanpakuto.

_'If only to make sure he doesn't do something like this again without my knowledge. The ast thing I want her to think is that I would willingly allow my own Zanpakuto to stalk her for entertainment.'_

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A/N: I feel like I kinda rambled a little with this one, but I like it. I thought the idea would be cute. Poor Byakuya and his meddlesome Zanpakuto. I have a feeling Senbonzakura will be making another appearance or three. He's hard to keep in character, but so is Byakuya. Anyways, please review! I'll have the next one up hopefully soon!

Until next time!


	16. Sibling

Summary

One of Captain Ukitake's siblings just so happens to recognize Kagome...

A/N: This idea hit me suddenly, and I **had** to do it! It's so perfect! I hope you enjoy this little moment!

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"Are you sure it's okay for me to come with you to your Captain's home? I mean, I don't want to intrude," Kagome insisted, withering slightly when Rukia sent her a look. Byakuya almost snorted, but reigned himself in. Just barely. Honestly, his subordinate always thought that she was interferring. It almost seemed like it was some kind of complex.

"Of course it's all right! Captain Ukitake even **asked** if you could come with me! He likes you!" the noble elaborated, noting that her brother had bristled up in annoyance and scrambling to correct herself, "He thinks your nice, and he wants to thank you for helping get rid of so much of his tuberculosis!"

"Well... that was kind of a fluke," the priestess admitted, scratching the back of her head sheepishly and biting her lip.

"Still, you aren't getting out of this!" the other girl harrumphed, taking the priestess's hand and dragging her along some more.

_'That's fine and all, but how come Captain Kuchiki has to come with?'_ Kagome thought, glancing at her leader before giving a mental shrug. She had no idea as to why, and she honestly wasn't about to ask. He was a grown man and allowed to go where he pleased. If that just so happened to be the same place as her, well, who was she to say no? She did not, however, decide to get her hopes up and think that he was going for her. Suppressing a flush, the former time traveler chit-chatted back and forth with Rukia about nothing in particular. The pretty weather recently. The cherry trees at the Kuchiki manor getting ready to bloom. The fact that it was nice to not have to deal with Miroku's perversions every once in a while.

"We're having a get together at the Kuchiki manor when the cherry trees bloom, actually," Rukia stated offhandedly, waving her hand elegantly at the confused look on Kagome's face, "You and your friends are welcome to come. It's honestly an open invitation for all of the squads as long as they don't trample the grounds down completely."

"Oh wow! Really? I bet it would be beautiful!" the priestess sighed, staring up at the sky as she remembered how the scenary had looked in the Feudal Era in the spring time.

"You should come!" the noblewoman pressed, grinning when Kagome gave her a bright smile and nodded rapidly. A little later, the trio was through the Ukitake family's gate and knocking at the front door. One of the maids smiled brightly at Rukia and bowed politely to them as she ushered them in to one of the sitting rooms.

Kagome took in the walls and simple decor with a sense of peace. It was nice here. The atmosphere was calming. She pinpointed Ukitake's aura long before she saw the man, the vibrancy of it proving to her that he seemed to be having a good day. There was another aura that stuck out around him as well, this one full of energy and vitality. It was almost enough to make her smile because it reminded her of someone that she had known.

The door slid open and Ukitake himself gave them all a genial smile, though inwardly he was a little surprised that Byakuya was there. _'Then again, it seems where Kagome-san is concerned, I should learn to expect the unexpected.'_

"Welcome. I trust everyone is faring well today?" the white-haired Captain asked, taking a seat and nodding at his fellow Captain.

"Yes, thank you, Captain. I see you're having a good day today," Rukia replied, bowing politely to her superior. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kagome mimicking her movements.

"Yes. It helps that it is such a nice day out too. My siblings will be glad to get out of the house a little and enjoy it," Ukitake answered.

"You have siblings?" Kagome asked suddenly, a sparkle entering her blue eyes, "How many? What are they like?"

"I have five brothers and two sisters, and I am the eldest. They all have such a wide range of personalities, I wouldn't even know where to begin," he replied, smiling at the thought of his family. Kagome whistled lowly, impressed by the fact that the Captain was still so well-composed. She could remember times when she wanted to pull her hair out because Souta was being such a brat. And then there were times when the boy would have an insightful moment so profound, she had to wonder if he was really as young as he was.

"I bet, if they're anything like you, Captain Ukitake, they're good kids," the priestess countered, wishing fiercely to see her own brother. She missed him **so** much!

"Jushro-nii!" The door rattled and slammed open all of a sudden, admitting a little bundle of green and brown that attached to the sickly Captain. "Akane-nee is being mean again! She won't take me to the market like she said she would yesterday!" The bundle turned out to be a little girl with long brown hair wearing a green yukata with a yellow obi.

"Ah! Here's one of them now. This is my youngest sister and sibling, Rin." Ukitake turned the little girl to face the others. "Rin, we have guests. You remember Rukia-san, right?" The child nodded and waved happily to the noblewoman. Said noble waved back and couldn't keep the smile from her face. "And this is Byakuya, Rukia's older brother, and Kagome-san. She's a friend of Rukia's." By the time he'd finished, the girl was watching Kagome very carefully and wondering if it was the same Kagome...

_'Ohh, it can't be...'_ Kagome thought, a haunted feeling coming over her. It just wasn't possible! But those huge brown eyes were oh-so-familiar to the priestess. She took in a breath and let it out slowly.

"I... Umm..."

"... Kagome-nee-sama?"

The former time traveler spluttered, face red as she knelt down by the girl. The other adults watched with growing curiosity as Ukitake's youngest sister suddenly screamed happily and threw herself at the older shinigami, almost successfully knockin them to the floor. "It **is** you! Rin knew it! Rin could tell it was Kagome-nee-sama the moment I walked in the door!"

"Rin! Don't-!" the white-haired Captain started, but was cut off when the priestess gazed down at the brown-haired girl in shock.

"Rin... chan? Sesshomaru's Rin-chan?"

"Yes! Sesshomaru-sama's Rin!"

It shocked them all when the older girl gave a huge sniffle and held the child tightly. Rin patted the girl on the back as consolingly as a ten year old could manage, hugging the other girl in her time of need. "I'm so sorry... I couldn't save you then... I'm sorry, Rin-chan. I'm sorry..."

"Kagome-nee... I'm not mad at you. You did everything you could. Rin watched you try to bring her back... but it was Rin's time to go. I'm not mad," the doe-eyed child consoled the priestess as she leaned back to wipe the almost tears away from those enormous sorrowful blue eyes, "So don't cry for Rin, okay? I have Jushiro-nii now! He's the **best** big brother ever!" Kagome let a laugh gurgle out as she wiped at her eyes. This was the closest she'd come to bawling her eyes out since coming to the Soul Society.

"I'm sure he is, Rin-chan." Smiling happily, the little girl bopped the older girl on the nose suddenly. It startled her enough to make her stop the waterworks.

"No crying, okay Kagome-nee?"

".. Okay. I'm sorry. I just... got really emotional," Kagome murmued, a small smile making her features glow as she mussed up the girl's hair. "Hey, now that I know where you are, I can come see you more often!"

"Oh, yes please! Rin would love that! Is it okay, Jushiro-nii?" She turned to the other adults, all of whom seemed to be in various states of shock. Byakuya was the most unreadable, but his mind was whirling on other possibilities. Rin had addressed Kagome with a high amount of respect. It was the same as when Miroku had done it. Glancing at his sister, he watched as she caught his eye and nod just slightly. She'd noticed it too.

"Y-Yes! Of course, Rin," Ukitake nodded, recovering from his shock admirably and giving his younger sibling an indulgent smile.

Something was up. He was sure that it would have to do with this seal business as well. And he was going to figure it out!

For the rest of the visit, Rin was attached to Kagome's hip, giggling and getting the shinigami's opinion on everything. The Kuchiki nobles weren't the least bit surprised at how easily the priestess took care of the child, doting and coaxing her to do other things.

_'She'll make a good mother,'_ Rukia thought with an internal sigh, glancing at her older sibling and suppressing a smile. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines if the way his gaze would occasionally flicker to his subordinate and Ukitake's sister was any indication.

"Has Miroku-san made any progress?"

"Very little. It seems that whoever put this seal on Higurashi intended for her to never have it removed," Byakuya replied, biting back a sigh and resisting the urge to lean against the table. It would be highly inappropriate for someone of his station.

"I'll continue to look on my end and let you know if I've found anything significant," Ukitake murmured, nodding in thanks and accepting a cup of tea from one of his family's maids. "In the meantime, Kagome-san just needs to be careful with how she distributes her energy. At the rate she's going, she'll be forced out of the Court and into Detention before the month is out."

The other two nobles could only nod in agreement and quietly wonder why someone would want to hamper such a genuinely good person the way they had.

_'Perhaps jealousy? Or maybe a grudge of some sort?'_ Rukia thought, letting out a little sigh as her brother stood and prepared to leave. Though Rin seemed upset about the idea, she let Kagome go with an extracted promise to visit again very shortly. As the trio left, Ukitake glanced down at his youngest sister and noticed a small secretive smile on the little girl's face.

"What are you thinking of, Rin?"

"Hmm?" The small brunette stared up at her brother and tilted her head to the side in an innocent manner. Then, she gave him a serious look that was completely at odds with her childlike appearance. "Can you keep a secret, Jushiro-nii?"

"Of course I can. You know that, Rin!" Ukitake knelt down to the child's level and gathered the little girl in his arms. Out of all of his siblings, he was probably the most protective of Rin. She had this... air about her; that she was much more than she appeared to be.

"Rin will tell you, but you can't tell anyone... yet. It's not the right time, but Kagome-nee-chan needs help, otherwise she'll lose the best part of herself."

Ukitake nodded sagely and deposited Rin on the floor next to him. "All right. I won't say anything to anyone."

"Not even Shunsui-nii?"

"Not even Shunsui," the Captain nodded, giving the little girl a soft smile.

Rin nodded and took a deep breath. This was going to be a long story.

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A/N: This little chapter gave me hell and left me in twitches from trying to work with the plot. It was meant to move it along, but I almost feel that it just left everything standing.

I am so sorry about how long it took me to get this out. So much time had passed and I feel awful! I can't even guarantee that the next update will be anytime soon either. Hopefully, I can get the next update done quickly, but I'm begging you guys not to hold your breath because it will probably be a while before things settle back down in my household. If it makes you all feel any better, I have not been idle in my time away. In fact, I have pieces and bits for the next six chapters of this. I just have to put them together and proof read them.

I have officially become a mommy to a little baby boy. He was born May 3 and is very healthy and likes to keep me up at night, thus inducing a lack of sleep that I thought was impossible before I had my little wiggle worm of a kid.

Anyways, thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoyed! Please don't forget to review!


	17. Blossom

Summary

The cherry blossoms are in bloom, and at a gathering at the Kuchiki manor, Kagome comes across a rather startling discovery.

A/N: Okay guys. This one is going to be interesting. I hope you enjoy!

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"Come on, Kagome-sama! You're the one that wants to be early!" Miroku chided, softly knocking on the shinigami's bathroom door again.

"I know! But I don't want them to think that I'm trying to impress anyone!" Kagome voice was muffled through the door, but the monk managed to hear it, "I really think this kimono was a bad idea. I shouldn't have let Lieutenant Ise talk me into it!"

"Trust me, you look fine. Pretty. Astounding. Mind-blowingly alluring!" her closest friend rattled off, grinning when the door was jerked open and the priestess finally appeared, color high on her cheeks and a dangerous spark in her blue eyes.

"I don't want to have to drag you there, Casanova," she growled, stomping out of the little room and sliding on a pair of _geta_ sandals. Stopping in front of the mirror, she nervously smoothed down the silk of her current choice in wear, then turned back to Miroku with pleading eyes.

"I look girly! This isn't going to work!"

"Kagome," Miroku sighed, reaching out and resting his hands on her shoulders, "You are a girl. You're supposed to look feminine. There's nothing wrong with it. I promise you don't look a fool right now."

"I... I just don't want to be stared at," Kagome whispered, lowering her head, "I know there's times when my squad forgets that I'm a girl, and this would just give them a shock."

"Then shock them. It would do them all some good to remember that you're female, my friend," the monk countered bluntly, earning a snort and a small smile from the young woman in front of him. He hated that she'd become so self-conscious. She needed someone to show her that it was okay to be herself.

_'If all goes well, I won't ever have to worry about Kagome's well-being again.'_ The plan that Lieutenant Ise had cooked up was actually pretty ingenious. The bookish woman had become fast friends with Kagome, which in turn had allowed her to learn of the priestess's plight with her powers. Nanao had been insistent on helping, shoving books at him with an increasing vigor that specified in seals and spells to seal off abilities. This, of course, had led to her finding out about Captain Kuchiki's interest in the other woman, and she'd gleefully devised a way to stun the noble at the annual showing of the cherry blossoms at the Kuchiki manor.

And staring at the finished product, Miroku had to applaud the Lieutenant. She'd done an outstanding job choosing a kimono for his old friend. It was a pale pink color with red and dark purple daisies sprawled on the fabric and a darker pink obi to tie securely around the waist. And with the small amount of make up and the ends of her hair curled with half of it pulled away from her face with a white ribbon, Kagome screamed elegant and lovely.

_'Now, if I can just get that frown off of her face...'_ the monk thought, grinning deviously as the priestess turned away from him.

A moment later, Kagome was shrieking at him about lack of manners as she slapped the crap out of him and he fell to the floor. Painful, for sure, but at least she wasn't sad now.

The things he did for friends.

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Rukia grinned to herself as she bowed politely to Rangiku Matsumoto and an annoyed Toshiro Hitsugaya. She respected the Lieutenant, and her Captain for being able to put up with her even more so, but there were times when she had to wonder how the busty blonde woman had gotten into her current position.

Glancing around her, the young noble spotted her older sibling a ways off making idle but stilted conversation with Captain Ukitake while Captain Kyoraku tipped another cup of sake back pleasantly. It seemed her brother was doing just fine... for now. Byakuya never really liked these large gatherings, but went through them anyway if only to maintain the prestige of their family. The cherry blossom showing was a tradition, and the clan head was nothing if not a traditionalist.

_'Everyone is almost here. The only ones I haven't seen so far are-!'_ Rukia seized up when she felt a hand brush against her backside then whirled on instinct to pulverize the idiot that had dared to touch her so inappropriately.

"Miroku! You-!" the noble stopped when someone else beat her to it. Literally.

"Lecherous moron!" Kagome hissed, knocking the monk upside the head and glaring at the wide-eyed innocent look he sent them. Rukia blinked slowly then bit her lip hard to hide the grin that wanted to stretch across her face. She'd always **known** that Kagome would look lovely in a traditional kimono. Even the yukata she'd been given to wear that time during the stom was nothing compared to this.

_'Nii-sama will certainly approve. Now, I just have to make sure he doesn't see her until the right time...'_ The plan was set; they were now waiting for the signal.

"I do apologize, Lady Rukia. My hand tends to get away from me sometimes. Old habits, you know?" Miroku admitted sheepishly, glancing between the two women with a cowed expression.

"I won't be responsible for whatever body parts you might lose if Captain Kuchiki sees you do that. Or Captain Ukitake, for that matter," his priestess friend muttered, shrugging at the shifty looking monk.

"... I'll try to keep my hands to myself, my friend," he replied, swallowing at the thought of either noble catching him. Both were exceedingly protective of Rukia, and he felt that it just wasn't worth losing limbs over.

Rukia nodded and pushed them towards a group of people. "Go mingle, you two. I'll be by to check on you soon." Watching the two head off, she looked around and caught Lieutenant Ise's eye and nodded. The bookish woman returned the gesture and elbowed her Captain slightly, whom gave her an odd look before it cleared when she murmured something quietly to him.

The signal had been given. Operation: Cherry Blossom was under way.

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Kagome smiled and shook her head when Rangiku tried to wheedle her into accepting a drink from a young man that had been eyeing her longingly for the last fifteen minutes. As nice as the offer was, she just wasn't interested. He seemed... boring.

_'Damn Inuyasha's penchant for trouble. I'll never be able to deal with a guy that can't handle a little mayhem now and then,'_ she thought glumly, snickering under her breath when Shuuhei Hisagi flushed as the busty blonde leaned against him for a moment. The poor guy was so smitten, he always managed to get too tongue-tied to admit his feelings for the other Lieutenant. _'Maybe I can help him with that. He'd be a good balance for Rangiku-san.'_

"Higurashi-san." Kagome turned at the sound of her name and locked gazes with a pair of intense teal eyes that hovered only a hairs' breath above her.

"Oh! Umm... Hello," the priestess stuttered, blushing in embarrassment; the boy somehow knew who she was, and yet she had no idea what his name was. After all, she woul have remembered meeting someone with that color hair. _'It's a very similar color to Sesshomaru-sama's. Maybe a bit more like Inuyasha's, only more white.'_

"... You don't remember me, do you," the boy pointed out bluntly, the slightly annoyed glint in his eyes deepening when the color on her face darkened at the statement, "I'm not surprised, honestly. You were pretty drunk. You can blame my Lieutenant for that."

The former time traveler blinked and cast her memory back to the night she'd acquired her new drinking buddies. She'd remembered meeting Rangiku, Shuuhei, Izuru, and Ikkaku and being dragged out for drinks. That had been the day Miroku had abandoned her at that tea shop... A repressed memory filtered into her mind from that night. Her hugging a white haired boy that looked absolutely livid with her tall blonde friend...

"Whatever I did, I'm really sorry if I happened to embarrass you or anyone else, umm... Captain..." Kagome winced, bowing politely to the boy and choking back a noise of shock when she finally noted his Captain's cloak. Great, she'd probably made a complete fool of herself that night. And in front of a Captain, no less. Another image of her hugging her superior officer and playing with his scarf happened to flitter by and she almost groaned. Yep, she'd definitely made a fool of herself that night. _'Note to self: No more letting Rangiku-san ply me with drinks, no matter how tempting the offer.'_

"Hitsugaya. Toshiro Hitsugaya. Captain of Squad 10," he answered quickly, giving her a short bow in return.

"R-Right! Ahh, Kagome Higurashi. Squad 6," the former priestess mimicked the bow and proceeded to stare at her feet while trying to keep from finding the nearest hard surface to bang her head on. _'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!'_ They talked quietly for several more minutes before she was unceremoniously dragged away by some of her squad members in the middle of plotting something. Turning slightly, she waved goodbye to the smaller Captain, and then gave the three young men carrying her off a dark glare. Keiichi, Yamato, and Suzuren were troublemakers outside of squad activities, and had tried several times to get her to come out with them for drinks. She'd declined each time simply because she got into enough trouble without their influence.

That and it would end up getting back to Captain Kuchiki, and he had enough on his plate to worry about aside from her getting into some kind of bar fight. Kagome snickered inwardly and wondered what the stoic noble would think of her if he ever found out about all the fights she'd gotten into in her old District. She managed to give the boys the slip by insisting that she needed to use the restroom and ducked off towards the manor.

_'It's strange. I haven't seen Captain Kuchiki at all today. I wonder why? Usually, he's breathing down my neck making sure I'm not screwing up and stealing my hair ribbons,'_ the former priestess thought, turning a few corners and sighing as she shook her head. _'Well, the man can take care of himself, so why should I worry?'_ Maybe she'd get away with this ribbon!

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After the brief conversation he'd engaged in with Ukitake, Byakuya made a few rounds around the manor to ensure there were no stragglers running around before finding his sister in an oddly serious conversation with a certain perverted monk.

"And you're positive that she only has that long before..." Rukia asked, trailing off meaningfully as she let her gaze wander leisurely over the gathering.

"Unfortunately, yes," Miroku answered, "And I fear that if she loses every drop of her reishi, she'll never be able to get it back. Even a smidge will give her just enough to keep the spark alive and allow her a full recovery once we remove the seal, Lady Rukia." The noblewoman let out a frustrated breath and pinned the monk with a sharp look.

"What exactly aren't you telling me about her, Miroku?" He blinked, violet eyes taking on a sheen of innocence that had neither noble fooled.

"I have no idea what you mean, my lady." Byakuya nearly rolled his eyes at the blatent lie. If they had to, they'd beat the information out of hte tip-lipped holy man. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find Kagome. She has a distinct dislike of being in crowded places."

Rukia blinked and glanced at her brother. "She does? I didn't know that."

Miroku smiled smally and shook his head, "It is not an overwhelming fear, but it makes her feel suffocated if there are too many people she doesn't really know around her." He bowed politely to the siblings and started off into the crowd.

"... Things are getting out of hand. It sounds like, if we can't find the answer to this seal, Kagome will end up in the Detention Center," Rukia murmured, absently brushing Byakuya's arm in a motion of reassurance. She didn't initiate physical contact with her brother often, but she could tell that the thought bothered him.

"For the time being, let us enjoy the time that we do have," the Kuchiki head replied quietly, a brief smile flitting across his face before he wiped it away. "I have not seen Higurashi all day though." It was his way of asking where she was.

"I saw her talking to Captain Hitsugaya earlier, then some of her squad members pulled her away, I think." Byakuya's eyes narrowed and he stretched his senses out to try and locate the trouble magnet. When he pinpointed her, he blinked slowly. What was she doing so far from the party?

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She wanted to strangle herself. And maybe whoever had designed the Kuchiki manor. She was hopelessly lost in a huge home. Huffing under her breath and cursing her crappy sense of direction tonight, Kagome turned another corner and tramped down the hall as she attempted to find her way back to the gathering. After getting away to use the restroom, she had obviously taken a wrong turn. The priestess couldn't hear the party going on at all; meaning she was probably on the other side of the manor. An minute now, someone else that lived here was going to turn the corner, assume she was either trying to sneak in for valuables or sex, and start screaming for the guard to come and "politely" remove her from the premises.

"At least I still get to see the sakura in bloom around here..." The trees on this end of the manor seemed to be untouched by time. With the quiet atmosphere and the almost wild feel of the botanical garden, she could picture herself in the Feudal Era under the afternoon sun quite easily. It made a nostalgic pain wrench in her chest, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before. She had Sango and Miroku now, Kohaku and Kaede were likely within the area and were just waiting for the okay to go see them. And, now that she thought of it, she had to wonder if there were other people that would remember her from that world too!

But most of all, she had to wonder what had happened to all of her demon friends. Were they still alive and roaming around the World of the Living? Were they dead and wandering the bowels of Hell because of their demonic origins and souls. Or, were they hiding out here in the Soul Society, waiting for some kind of signal, some kind of sign that she was here now and hoping to see them again. She wasn't sure, but she did miss every single one of them.

Letting out a loud sigh, Kagome stopped in the hallway and put her hands on her hips. Okay, this was getting ridiculous!

"Where the hell am I in this place?" she snapped, stomping her foot in agitation and glaring around her.

"Certainly not where you should be, Higurashi." She hadn't been expecting an answer and squeaked loudly as she turned on her heel. Unfortunately, one of her kultz attacks decided to crop up and she tripped over her feet, catching sight of her Captain's surprised expression as she pitched to the side. Her hand went through the rice paper covering the shojo door to her left as she tried to balance before she was pulled into a solid warmth. Kagome stared at the hole in horror, then raised her gaze up to the noble clutching her closely.

"I am so sorry, Captain!" the former time traveler whimpered, her cheeks hot and red in mortification, "I'll fix it. I promise. Please don't be angry!"

Byakuya let out a slow breath and shook his head. "It was unintentional. I am not angry with you, Higurashi." He set her upright gently and took a large step away from her. Hopefully, she hadn't see his hands shake before he got himself back under control. It wasn't right, or even proper in any way, but he hadn't wanted to let her go at all. For some reason, he hadn't expected her to look so pretty all dressed up. He should have known better, though. It was like a repeat of when she'd stayed that one night during the thunderstorm. She could put any noble woman that he'd seen to shame easily, and she wasn't even trying!

It had also taken a considerable amount of willpower to keep himself calm after seeing her pitch into danger like that. Willing his racing heart to slow down, he pulled the door open and peered in.

Oh, of course. It would be **this** room.

"Where is this?" Kagome asked, poking her head in curiously. The noble blinked as she shuffled in and looked around. Wow, when she did that, it wasn't any wonder why Yachiru had nicknamed her Koneko.

_'Curiosity is going to get her killed if she's not careful.'_ Which wouldn't happen unless someone managed to kill him first. Instead, he stepped in after her and watched her reactions.

"This is my home office, for clan affairs," he replied, almost smirking when she nodded absently.

Satisfied with his answer, the smaller shinigami perused the room with a vague interest, but found nothing that captivated her at first. On the second look around, though, and after reading a wall scroll that reminded her of Sesshomaru's honor code, something caught her eye and she smiled as she approached his desk.

"This is a pretty picture of Rukia," Kagome murmured, picking up the small frame. She didn't notice the way he froze and stared with a hint of longing in his gaze, "When was this taken? Recently?"

"No... That's not Rukia," the Captain spoke after a moment's hesitation. **Why** had he left her picture out? "Her... That is Rukia's older sister, Hisana."

"Oh! I didn't know she had a sister!" the priestess gasped, glancing from the picture to her Squad leader, "She never talks about her!"

"Yes... Rukia didn't know her. She passed away a little over 50 years ago. A year after that, I received information that Rukia had joined the academy."

"... How... did you know Rukia's sister?" the former time traveler hedged, almost wondering if it was such a good idea to pry. From what she could read of her superior's aura, it was melancholy at best. She stifled a cry when it darkened to sorrow. What...?

"Hisana was my wife."

Stunned was the only reaction she could manage to potray. He'd been married? To Rukia's sister?

_'I always thought that they were blood-related! They act so similar...'_

"I... see. I'm sorry for your loss." It was one of the few times that he'd heard someone actually mean what they said. Kagome wasn't someone that just gave out pity, after all. "You must miss her, Captain."

_'Every day. But it also becomes less painful to see that picture every day, and it gets easier to remember the fond memories...'_ Byakuya thought, merely settling for a nod. Kagome did something unexpected then; she shuffled forward in her geta and enveloped him in a hug. It wasn't for some kind of ploy like most noble women attempted, nor was it a familial gesture. It was purely for comfort.

"What are you doing?" He froze up, the words slipping from his lips before he could stop them.

It's... because you're still grieving." The dark-haired girl looked up at him with understanding, "It's okay to be sad, and to miss her, but if you stay that way for too long, you'll lose yourself." She bit her lip and flickered her gaze away before re-firming her determination and meeting his eyes again, "There are a lot of people that need Captain Kuchiki, but there are people that need the Noble, Byakuya, too." The clan head jerked when his name passed her lips. It was the first time he'd ever heard her say it, and it sent a shiver down his spine. What she said made sense though. He'd been so caught up in his mourning for Hisana that he'd started to lose sight of the other people in his life that were important. Or, in one troublemaking priestess's case, were becoming important.

"... Thank you... Kagome." And he meant it.

With a nod, she suppressed the urge to flush, pulled away and turned her attention back to the small frame she'd been holding the entire time. She couldn't believe how much Rukia looked like her sister!

"It must be hard for you though, because Rukia looks so similar. Were their personalities the same?"

"No. Hisana was more soft-spoken and demure. Rukia, and I suspect it is because she grew up with Renji, is more outgoing," the noble replied, a shadow of a smile flickering across his features for a moment, "There are times when Rukia reminds me of her, but I would never compare the two to each other." At Kagome's questioning look, he elaborated unnecessarily, "Rukia is Rukia, and Hisana was Hisana. They are not the same person, no matter how similar they appear."

The priestess closed her eyes for a moment to hide the pain that flashed through her. Oh, if only Inuyasha had seen her and Kikyo that way... "That's good. I don't think either one of them would have liked being compared to the other, and I definitely don't see Rukia wanting to try to live up to an expectation of being like a sister that she never knew. It's... an impossible task to accomplish, after all." Carefully, the former time traveler set the picture back down and turned to start to leave the room.

"You speak as though from experience." Who in their sane minds would try to compare Kagome, of all people, to someone else? In his eyes, no one could hold a candle to the young woman that had stopped in the middle of his office and glanced back at him with a painful smile. _'Who was the fool that caused that look?'_

"Yes... I suppose I do, Captain Kuchiki." With a small bow, Kagome excused herself and left one noble to ponder what exactly that meant and who he would need to seriously hurt for making the normally cheerful girl so melancholy.

_'The monk would know, as would that woman from Squad 11 that she's taken to associating with.'_ And it would be an investigation that he would pursue until he had his answers.

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Kagome sighed quietly as she stared up at the stars from the window in her room and nursed a small cup of tea. Her conversation with her Captain had altered something between them; somethiing that had been hovering around them for a while now. She'd known she was attracted to the man. Hell, what woman in their right mind wouldn't be! But she'd always felt that there was an air of unattainability surrounding the stoic noble. Now, though, with the revelation of his former wife's passing, she was realizing even more that he wasn't completely untouched by his emotions like many thought.

The priestess was learning more and more about her superior officer day by day, and what she was seeing was drawing her deeper down a road that she knew all too well.

She was falling for him, and he was going to break her heart.

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A/N: Yayz! Moving the romance aspect along a little more. Kagome simply can't just leave someone to their own grief. Not even Byakuya. Huzzah for twists and turns and confusion!

Anyways, let me know what you guys think by leaving a review! Until next time!


	18. Summer Daze

Summary

Due to an incident with the Women's Association's pool problem, he is required to be present for a day at the beach. Luckily, he isn't the only one to have to suffer through the indignity...

A/N: I know tons of you were wanting to see this scene, and I'd been planning it for a while. Umm, slight tweaks here and there on the reasons why they came to the beach, but I hope you all enjoy this one!

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It was bad enough that he had to suffer the annoyance of the Women's Association infiltrating his home. As 'punishment' for 'remodeling' the pool they'd installed in his backyard, the ridiculous women had insisted that he join them for a day at the beach in the World of the Living. Thankfully, he wasn't going to be the only one to suffer through this monstrosity.

This just had bad idea written all over it.

"Why am I here again?" Ichigo Kurosaki asked in long suffering, already knowing what the answer was going to be.

"This is our chance to kick back and relax for the day, Ichigo!" Rukia replied, glaring at the substitute shinigami in annoyance as he waved her off absently, "A day at the beach will be good for all of us."

"Fine, I get it!" the orange-haired boy huffed, then glanced at Byakuya, "What made you decide to come, Byakuya?" The noble twitched minutely at the general lack of respect and sent a condescending glance at the young man.

"The Women's Assocation has deemed this as my punishment for destroying the pool."

Ichigo blinked. "What pool?"

"The one we hid at his mansion, of course!" Rangiku butted in, flouncing over and nearly spilling out of her bikini top. Both men visibly flinched at the thought.

"... Are you serious?" The substitute could only imagine the havoc the stoic man next to him would have caused the moment he found that pool. And he was pretty sure it would have involved Senbonzakura.

"Anyway, this is the perfect day for a vacation to the Living World!" the blonde Lieutenant giggled happily and sauntered off, leaving the three of them alone again for the moment. Rukia glanced around and furrowed her brows in confusion.

"That's odd." Ichigo was immediately on guard.

"What? It it a Hollow?" He cursed the fact that he'd left his substitute pass with his clothes in the snack shack just down the way.

"No, you idiot! I thought I told Kagome to be here by now, but I don't see her yet," the small shinigami countered, huffing slightly and crossing her arms, "She's late!"

Byakuya sent her a look that screamed 'You're kidding me!' "You invited Higurashi? To the beach?" A second later, he was wondering why **he** hadn't thought of that!

"Well, yes. I thought she could use the time away from Miroku," Rukia replied, giving her older sibling a flat look that he was still becoming accustomed to. She didn't often direct it at him, after all.

"I see," the Captain nodded. It made sense too. The perverted monk was being oddly clingy as of late, and it bothered him a lot more that he cared to let on.

"Is that her?" the orange-haired shinigami guessed, pointing at a figure cresting the sand dune and stumbling down it. The dark-haired girl looked oddly excited, if her glowing face wasn't a dead giveaway. The moment she meandered up to them, though, she was immediately accosted by Yachiru.

"Koneko-chan! You came!" the little girl giggled, crawling up the frozen girl and resting on her shoulder much like she did with her Captain, "Chibi-chan said you would, and here you are!"

"E-Eh? Lieutenant! I told you not to call me that!" Rukia and Kagome shouted. They glanced at eachother and blinked. Ichigo looked between the two and sent a pitying glance in Byakuya's direction.

"I don't envy you, Byakuya."

Shut up, Ichigo!" Rukia snarled, kicking the orange-haired substitute in the shins. Byakuya ignored the entire scene in favor of keeping an eye on his subordinate. It didn't help that he wanted to grin at his sister's defensiveness.

"Hey, Koneko-chan? Where's your swimsuit?" Yashiru asked, drawing attention back to what the former priestess was wearing; a pair of dark blue shorts that came to mid-thigh and a light pink tank top with a red flower on the lower right side.

"Umm... I..." she looked awfully embarrassed, "To be honest, I wasn't about to wear that tiny thing."

_'It couldn't have been any worse than Matsumoto's,'_ the Captain thought absently before forcefully shaking his head inwardly.

"But it was cute!" Rukia countered. Kagome flushed again. **That** was an odd reaction from her.

"It left **nothing** to the imagination!"

"You're supposed to wear a swimsuit to the beach!" the other girl complained, sending her a gimlet stare.

"Which is why I decided to get a new one," the priestss countered, huffing and pushing her long hair out of her face, "That's why it took me so long to get here!" The two nobles noticed the color high on her cheeks darkening.

"Is this one cute?" When his sister asked that, Byakuya decided that it was easier to **not** get involved in the conversation. Instead, he contented himself to just listening and fading into the background for once. Apparently, Ichigo was thinking the same thing.

"I... guess?"

"Whaaaat? Why did you get a new one?" Yoruichi suddenly appeared over Kagome's shoulder and hugged the priestess from behind as she rested her head on the smaller girl's shoulder. Noting the dark glare Byakuya sent the shape-shifter discreetly, the dark-skinned woman just grinned widely and resisted the urge to stick her tongue out. "The one I picked out for you was super cute!"

"I'm not quite as... willing to show off like Lieutenant Matsumoto," Kagome replied, flushing darkly and refusing to meet either Ichigo or her Captain's gazes. The substitute winced and was inwardly thankful for this girl's modest streak. It was nice, considering he was surrounded by some rather perverted women.

Yoruichi sighed loudly, ruffling Kagome's bangs in the process, before shoving off the smaller girl and taking Soi Fon by the arm. The current Squad 2 Captain blushed lightly and sent adoring eyes to the dark-skinned woman. "Come on, Soi Fon! I wanna see a shark!" And the two women were off, leaving the others to blink after them.

"Oh! My name's Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm a substitute shinigami," the orange-haired teen finally introduced himself, bowing a little to a flustered Kagome.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi. I-! Wait! Substitute?"

"Uhh, yeah. I'm human, but I can become a shinigami when Hollows attack," he elaborated, earning an impressed glance from the priestess that made Byakuya want to clock the younger male upside the head.

"That's amazing! I didn't know living humans were allowed to become shinigami!"

"Technically, they're not," Rukia countered, elbowing the embarrassed teen next to her, "but Ichigo here is pretty strong."

"Really? How strong?"

"I beat Byakuya," the boy bragged. The nobleman hadn't felt the need to possess his Zanpakuto more than now. Kagome sucked in a shocked breath and swug her blue gaze back and forth between the two males. Then, she burst out laughing.

"Wh-What!" Ichigo stuttered, watching the girl that was barely bigger than Rukia roll around in the sand in hysterical glee. The three people around her wondered what was so funny.

""Th-That's quite a joke, Kurosaki-san! But please! Captain Kuchiki is pretty strong!" It said a lot for Byakuya's pride that she seemed to have so much faith in his abilities... Even if the orange-haired teen was right.

Silence met her remarks and she carefully observed the three people in front of her with growing comprehension. "No way... Seriously?" When her Captain actually averted his gaze, she knew that, as ridiculous as it sounded, it had to be true. It left her stunned enough to allow Rukia and a returning Yachiru to lead her off to change.

"He beat... Captain Kuchiki?" Kagome asked quietly. Rukia gave a solemn nod before shoving her into the women's bathroom and waving absently to Orihime.

"Byakushi doesn't like to be reminded about that," Yachiru murmured, unusually calm for a moment before she bounced back and smiled as she ran off giggling. A few minutes later, Kagome pulled aside the curtain and leveled a very serious look at the noble. "You're **positive** that he beat Captain Kuchiki? Because he sure didn't feel like it earlier!"

"As much as I hate to say it, yes," Rukia replied, glancing at the former priestess's swim suit and approving. She'd been right. The one Yoruichi had chosen had been scandalously tiny, and the smaller shinigami had inwardly felt that a future Kuchiki should have some sense of propriety. This two-piece suited her **much** better; it was an added bonus that it was a dark green color. Her brother liked green.

_'Even if Kagome doesn't know that yet.'_

"Wow... That's just... wow," Kagome murmured, absently tying her hair up with a white ribbon. Shuffling towards the smaller girl and looking around, she suddenly noticed someone was missing, "Wait! Where's Yachiru?"

Rukia looked for the tiny pink-haired girl and shrugged. "I guess she got bored with us and ran off. It's fine though. Let's head back!" Grabbing the priestess's wrist, she started to drag the other girl, but stopped when she was met with an extreme amount of resistance. Kagome was yanking at her arm, a mortified look on her face. "What? You're not embarrassed, are you? That swimsuit looks a lot better on you, I assure you."

"N-No! It's not that! It's just..." the other girl trailed off, getting a raised brow as a reaction, so she decided to go ahead and plow on, "it's just... I have this... scar..." Her voice was tiny and almost inaudible, but the noblewoman managed to catch the last word.

"A scar? From what?"

"It's old. I got it a really long time ago," the raven-haired girl replied, scuffing her bare feet against the wood floor of the snack shack and not willing to meet Rukia's gaze as she searched for the illusive silvery thing.

"But... I don't see-! Is this it?" the smaller shinigami asked, reaching out and brushing her fingers against a spot just above Kagome's left hip. The star-shaped mark was faint, but once she noticed it, she had to wonder how the other girl had gotten it and managed to live from what looked like a near fatal wound.

"... Yes," Kagome murmured. Rukia did some quick thinking.

"I don't know why you're nervous. I didn't even know you had it until you pointed it out. At least it doesn't look like any of Captain Zaraki's. This is actually kind of pretty," she observed bluntly, backpedaling at the blue-eyed girl's uncertainty, "but if you want, I can ask Orihime if she has another cover-up you can borrow." The priestess looked unbelievably relieved at the idea.

"Would you?"

"Of course! Let's go find her!" It only took moments to meet and speak with the redheaded human that was Rukia's other closest friend, and Orihime gladly dug out another cover-up, this one a simple white that went to mid-thigh and tied with a ribbon just below the bust, for Kagome to wear. She thanked the odd yet sweet girl profusely and promised to return it to her clean and unblemished.

The two girls were returning just as Captains Ukitake and Unohana were finishing explaining some guidelines for a sand sculpture contest and teams were splitting off to compete for a cash prize that the Head Captain was apparently giving away. Rukia happily dragged Kagome over to her older sibling and began discussing their strategy, taking particular glee as the subdued but stunned expression on Byakuya's face.

_'That's right. Nii-sama hasn't ever seen Kagome in anything that showed a lot of skin,'_ the younger Kuchiki thought, a brilliant plan beginning to form in her mind.

"We can't allow the others to win, right Nii-sama?"

The Captain regained his bearings with a remarkable sense of self-accomplishment and almost snorted. "Of course not. The prize means nothing, but it does give us a chance to hone our artistic skills. Come, Rukia." With a nod to a smiling Ukitake, he started towards a patch of sand, expecting his sibling to follow.

Ukitake smothered the urge to laugh. Byakuya could dress it up in fancy words all he wanted, but the white-haired Captain could tell that the other noble's competitive streak was definitely coming to the forefront. _'A lot of people forget that he's still so young... It wouldn't hurt him to have a little fun today.'_

Kagome shook her head and started to move in the direction of the giant umbrella that was set up. She wasn't a big fan of sand castles and sculptures. It reminded her too much of all the times she and Souta would make them when they were kids. She'd just sit this one out...

"Kagome! Where are you going? You're with us!" Rukia insisted, grabbing the priestess's wrist suddenly and pulling her along. Her plan wasn't going to work if the other half of it went off and did her own thing!

"E-eh? But-!" Kagome protested, turning wide pleading eyes at Captain Ukitake. _'Please!'_

"Have fun, Kagome-san!" He waved her goodbye and headed back to the umbrella. He was loving the fresh air, but the sun was making him tired. He'd let Retsu handle things and lay down for a little nap.

_'Traitor!'_ the priestess silently cried, tears running down her face inwardly.

"Nii-sama won't mind!" The words pulled her back to her current situation, "Besides, it will be fun! And that's what we're all here to do!" the smaller girl replied cheerfully, cutting off any argument with that simple statement. She was right; they **were** here to have fun.

"I... Okay, but I haven't done anything like this in a long time," Kagome finally surrendered, allowing herself to be pushed into the idea of having a littl relaxation for once.

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It had taken more than enough of his considerable willpower to keep from glancing at Kagome as their team picked a spot and got to work, but Byakuya had always prided himself on his control. That control was seriously being put to the test right now. He **would not** stare at her and drool like some idiotic teenager! He was better than that, damn it!

"What should we make?" the reason for his chaotic emotions asked, putting a finger to her lip and staring at the ocean with a faraway look in her eyes. When she got like that, he always had this feeling that he suddenly couldn't reach her, no matter that she was only a few paces away from him. It bothered him more than he realized. A breeze wafted by, flirting with the edges of her bangs and the white cover-up she was wearing as she thought. The temptation was just too must to resist.

A moment later, Kagome felt the tell-tale tug of the ribbon being pulled from her hair. Puffing out an annoyed breath and ignoring the poorly contained snort from Rukia, she shoved her hair out of her face and glared at her Captain as he stepped a few paces away and pocketed the white slip of material.

"What about a favorite thing? Or something or someone we admire?" Rukia replied, biting the inside of her cheek to hide the smile wanting to bloom across her lips. Her brother hadn't even bothered to hide that little quirk that he'd developed when it came to Kagome's hair ribbons. It looked like he was finally getting comfortable enough to make a move.

Or he was just getting impatient.

"A sound enough idea," Byakuya intoned quietly, picking up one of the buckets and presenting it to them, "We will need water." A moment later, Kagome grumbled under her breath and snatched the yellow bucket.

"I'll get it." The moment she was gone, Rukia rounded on the Kuchiki head and gave him a little smirk.

"This **is** all part of your plan, correct?"

Byakuya blinked, thought about playing dumb, but then brushed the idea off. Kuchikis did **not** play dumb. Instead, he narrowed sharp gray eyes at her. "How long have you known, Rukia?"

"I had a feeling that night she stayed with us during that thunderstorm," the younger noble answered honestly, then gave him an encouraging nod, "If it helps, Nii-sama, I completely support you."

He quickly digested this new piece of information and filed it away to access a little later. It **would** help to have an extra person in on this whole fiasco he was making this into. _'It couldn't be simple with Higurashi. I can't just tell her outright that I'm attracted to her. She couldn't have been born a noble or even been an unassuming subordinate. No! She has to be intruiging!'_

Several minutes later, Kagome returned and they all got to work, Rukia and the other shinigami chattering quietly to eachother while Byakuya discreetly watched them from the corner of his eyes.

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Some time after the sculpture contest, which a sleeping Ukitake and his two Third Seats somehow managed to win, Rukia bit the inside of her cheek when Yachiru suggested they start the watermelon smashing game. Looking around and suppressing a snort at Ichigo's bored expression, she blinked when she realized that Kagome was missing again.

"Where's Kagome?" The question was asked to the substitute, but easily drew her brother's attention. As he surveyed everyone and did a head count, he concentrated briefly on the girl's reishi before starting in the right direction. He wasn't really interested in smashing watermelons anyway. He'd let the others handle that.

"She said she was going up to the ridge over there," Ichigo replied, pointing to the craggy rock that was sticking out behind the snack shack. Rukia nodded and sulked a little. She was supposed to stay nearby in order for her to execute the plan, damn it! "Wait, where's Byakuya?" Rukia whipped around in search of her brother.

"I... don't know..."

Plan ruined. Well, that just sucked.

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Kagome looked out at the ocean and took a deep breath. The salty smell was relaxing, and she had to admit that she'd had a lot of fun today. She'd even managed to get her Captain back for stealing her ribbon this time by dumping a bucket of water over his head. He hadn't looked pleased in the least bit, but she'd reminded him about taking her things. He still hadn't given it back, though. Instead, he saw fit to dump her in the water for her "transgression", as he'd put it.

"I really thought he would too..." the priestess mumbled, closing her eyes and letting the sun warm her skin. She'd missed being able to do this. _'Mama. Grandpa. Souta. I wonder... how you all are with me not there? Souta would have just gotten out of high school.'_ She couldn't believe how much time had passed!

"Higurashi." Kagome jolted, surprised at Byakuya's voice, and felt herself starting to tip over the ledge. Damn! She shouldn't have stood so close!

_'At least it's just water below...'_ she thought as she squealed out loud and windmilled her arms to try and keep her balance. Her Captain wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back from the edge. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as she unconsciously leaned back against him. Tilting her head back, she gave the noble a sharp glare.

"Don't sneak up on me like that! I almost fell in!"

"Perhaps, then, you should remain more alert," Byakuya countered softly, setting her upright and raising a brow arrogantly as she grumbled under her breath. "Think of it this way, Higurashi. At least I have not decided to throw you in again." It would have been too much of a temptation if he had. Once had been enough to nearly cause his brain to malfunction. Kagome twitched and took a huge step away from him, hoping to be out of arms reach just in case the stoic noble decided to change his mind.

"It really wasn't necessary the first time," she complained softly, thankful that her swim suit had dried out since then. He smirked in a way that reminded the former priestess of Sesshomaru when he was being unreasonably smug about something, and she turned away to gaze back out at the sun that was starting to make it's way to the horizen. "This was nice, though. I actually had a lot of fun."

"Agreed. It was a good day off." Kagome smiled happily then and giggled when a thought crossed her mind.

"I bet your Third Seat is in tears though waiting for you to get back, Captain." Byakuya almost snorted but just barely managed to keep it suppressed.

"Hakota was insistent about not receiving enough to do around the division. We shall see how he handles this." Kagome sighed and shook her head, turning away from the descending sun and striding towards the small path a the other nd to start picking her way down.

"We should probably head back. I never really understood the concept of smashing watermelonns and I think I heard that Rangiku-san brought a karaoke machine with her," the former priestess called back, throwing a grin over her shoulder when she heard him sigh. Well, what do know. Even Byakuya Kuchiki got exasperated. "I bet that will be interesting, as well as the bonfire later." As she heard him start to turn, Kagome smirked and whipped around suddenly, putting out her hands and sending the noble flying over the edge of the cliff.

For a split second, Byakuya looked shocked as he locked gazes with the smug girl. Then, his gray eyes sharpened and he reached out, snagging one of her wrists and dragging her with him. Kagome screamed and they plummeted into the ocean.

When he came up for air, he caught the smaller shinigami's murderous expression and smirked. "You are about 100 years too young to pull something like that over me, Higurashi.

The girl snarled at him, splashed some water in his face, and turned to head back to shore. Damn it, but she'd get him back some day!

Byakuya stared after her and resisted the urge to smile. Yes, it had been a good day off.

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A/N: Finally... Took me long enough, right? I hope you guys enjoy! I'm working on the next chapter as I speak, so hopefully, I can get it out soon!

Anyways, please review! Until next time!


	19. Shocker

Summary

She gets the shock of her life when she meets a few other people she knew. Sango attempts to reign in Kagome's fight or flight instinct.

A/N: **To everyone I have just undoubtedly confused the hell out of, I am so sorry!** So, I first want to tell you guys that I have to repost a couple of chapters in order to get this one in because, dummy me, I **forgot** it! Second, I know you guys are gonna be thrown for a loop in this One-Shot, but where would the fun be if I kept things predictable? Now, onward!

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Kagome sighed quietly as she glanced out the window in the training room before quickly focusing her attention back on the session going on around her. Renji had called a halt and was explaining a few military tactics to the squad, and the priestess thought it would be better if she paid attention. Otherwise, the redhead might just-

"Higurashi! Since you seem to know what we're all discussing, why don't you come up here and be part of the demonstration," the Lieutenant ordered, a slight smirk crossing his face.

-call on her. Damn it!

_'Caught. I hate being picked on,'_ the former time traveler thought, grumbling under her breath as she rose to her feet.

"I certainly hope that's not complaining, Higurashi," Renji drawled, the smirk becoming a viscious grin, "Now, hurry up!"

"Yes sir!" Kagome automatically snapped out, scrambling to the front and taking a stance across from him, her shinai ready and waiting. That arrogant grin only widened further as he turned to face the rest of the group.

"Now, let me show you three different ways that her stance isn't going to hold up," the Lieutenant explained, gripping his wooden sword tightly for a moment before flickering a glance at their stoic Captain. He was being unusually quiet today. Either he had something on his mind and wasn't paying much attention, or he was deliberately allowing Renji to bully Kagome just a little.

_'With him, I really don't know what to expect,'_ the redhead thought, shrugging inwardly before continuing the exercise.

"First!" He swiped his blade at Kagome, causing the small woman to flip her shinai and block. The jarring impact went up her arms and she stumbled just slightly. "Her stance itself isn't wide enough. It makes it easier to throw her off balance." Kagome grit her teeth and glared angrily at the redhead. Some of her fellow squad members smirked.

"Next!" With another motion, Renji was bearing down on her with a strike that drove her nearly to her knees. "Because that throws her off balance, it makes it simple to bear a little weight down and send her to the floor." Okay, now she was getting pissed. She **hated** being made a fool! Several more people snickered in amusement.

"Finally!" Renji turned and started to swing out again, but Kagome ducked down so that his blade passed just over her head. He blinked, flabbergasted for a second, and the priestess used the opportunity to rise up sharply and roundhouse kick the taller man across the room. The Lieutenant went flying and crashed into the opposite wall.

Everyone was dead silent. Byakuya stared at her with muted surprise before he inwardly laughed. Despite the earlier misgivings about letting the Lieutenant spar with the girl, Renji should have known better than to piss her off. They'd all been warned by Miroku, after all.

_'I'm impressed,'_ the noble thought, restraining the urge to smirk as Renji sat up and rubbed the side of his head.

"Oww..."

"Lieutenant! I'm so sorry!" Kagome babbled, scrabbling over to the redhead as several of her squad members burst into laughter. This time, though, she could tell it wasn't directed at her. "I didn't give you a concussion, did I?"

"Don't apologize, damn it!" Renji hollered, his face starting to redden in embarrassment, "That's exactly what you're supposed to do, Higurashi!"

"But, I didn't mean-!"

"If you moved like that more often, you wouldn't have to be in self defense training!" the Lieutenant ground out, getting to his feet and waving off the small woman, "Damn, why the hell don't you hit like that more often?"

"I... I don't know! I don't like violence?" the priestess spat out, flustered beyond belief. After a few minutes, everyone calmed down and a few of the other members of the squad even congratulated her on getting such a good hit in.

"So... Don't underestimate your opponents," Renji summarized awkwardly, patting Kagome on the shoulder. The former school girl sighed and gazed up at him with a hopeful expression.

"Does this mean I can go sit back down?"

The redhead gave her an evil grin. "Hell no! We're just getting started! When I'm through with you, you're going to be moving like that automatically. I want you to be able to do stuff like that in your sleep."

Kagome groaned loudly.

_'This... is going to suck.'_

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Sango stared at her before snickering behind her hand. Kagome glared before she just sighed and slumped into the table. Yesterday's training session had been hell. True to his word, Renji had made her box at him with a shinai until she couldn't lift her arms anymore. At one point, she'd hoped that her Captain would call him off, but the Kuchiki head had merely reinforced the idea.

By going up against her a few times himself. It had been a rather humiliating experience.

"I ache in places I never thought I could ache," the priestess groaned, laying her head on the table and relishing the cool wood beneath her face. "My back is killing me. How do you do it without collapsing every time, Sango?"

"It'll help build your endurance, Kagome," the former slayer helpfully pointed out, "This is good for you. I think Miroku had told you to work on that too so that it would be easier to go at that seal."

"Yeah. He said that about my meditation too," Kagome grumbled, lifting her head and staring moodily at the table, "Wanna know what happened with that?"

"Sure?"

"I got my ribbon stolen. Again."

Sango bit her lip to keep from smiling. She'd been filled in about Captain Kuchiki's tendency to steal her friend's hair ribbons for no particular reason. Hadn't Kagome ever been subjected to a boy's teasing when she was a kid? Did she know what it all meant?

"Did you have words with Captain Kuchiki?"

"That's the thing!" the raven-haired girl snapped, slapping a hand on the table and growling under her breath, "He didn't steal it! Some guy in this samurai getup and this crazy warlord mask took it!"

Sango blinked. There was someone **else** that was taking her friend's ribbons?!

'_I can tolerate the Captain because he's an honorable man that will eventually give them back, but I'm not so confident about this new guy!'_

"Did you get it back?"

Kagome snorted and flopped back in her seat, groaning when her back protested the action, "No. I did tell the Captain, and he said he'd take care of it, so I can only wait at this point."

"Kagome... You're going to run out of ribbons at this rate," the former taijiya murmured, a lazy grin spreading across her face. The priestess nodded glumly at that.

"I know. I'm going to have to go shopping to get a couple more."

"I'll go with you and we'll pick some cute ones out," the other girl sympathized, grinning when the smaller shinigami smiled happily.

"Yeah! We'll make a girl's day of it! You wouldn't mind if I invited Rukia, would you?"

"No. Not at all. She's your friend too," Sango immediately agreed, even though inwardly she was a little wary. She wasn't sure what to think of the noblewoman; it honestly chafed at her a little. She'd spent so long with just Kagome that it was an all-together new experience to have to share her with another female that looked to be around their age. But there was no way she was going to make the priestess choose between her and Rukia, so the slayer was willing to give the Kuchiki female the benefit of the doubt.

_'Until she proves otherwise, of course.'_ Getting back to the present, the brunette pulled a letter from her robes and handed it to Kagome. "I got a letter from Kohaku. He wants me to come by for a while. Kaede will be there too. I thought today, if you weren't doing anything, we could go?"

Kagome was speechless for a second as she stared at the letter before she whooped in joy and pounced on the woman she'd come to call sister. "Can we really?! That would be great! Let's go right now!"

With that, the ex-school girl dragged her closest friend off and set off in the direction of the Rukongai. She couldn't **wait** to see the old priestess! She had so many things she wanted to tell her!

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Taking a deep breath, Kagome coughed loudly when she and Sango passed by a particularly smelly stall.

"Good old Rukongai," the priestess wheezed, choking for some air and hiding her nose with her sleeve. "I sure don't miss it sometimes."

Sango laughed and waved at an old woman selling... beets.

_'Am I really seeing that right?'_ the former school girl thought, resisting the urge to rub her eyes. Her slayer friend pulled her along, their steps slowly becoming wider.

"I know Kaede is really excited to see you, as is Kohaku, but there's a little something you should know about before we get there."

"Hmm? What's up?" the smaller shinigami slowed her pace and turned to face an agitated Sango.

"There's someone else that was with us too. It took a while for all of us to get used to him, but he's really very kind. You can't overreact, okay?"

"Don't worry so much!" the blue-eyed girl waved the brunette's concern off, "I doubt anyone or anything can surprise me much anymore."

"If you're sure... Just remember that when I tell you to eat your words," Sango countered, getting a shove from her oldest friend. With a tentative grin, the two girls continued on their way. A few minutes later they were approaching a small home that was just short of being shabby. Oddly enough, it reminded the priestess of Kaede's hut.

"Kaede! Kohaku! I'm back!" Sango called out, her voice quavering only just slightly.

"Sango-san? Is that you?" A deeper male voice answered back, pulling aside the hut's curtain and stepping outside.

Kagome gaped openly at the person that came out of the hut first, Kohaku quickly following what she was hoping was a mirage. Oh wait. She couldn't be fooled by those. Her hand automatically strayed to her Zanpakuto. This was bad! Really really bad!

"You! How did-! I-! How the **hell** are you even here!" the priestess finally managed to hiss out, blue eyes dark and furious as she unsheathed her blade and took a defensive stance, "You should have gone straight to hell the moment that battle was finished!"

"Ka-Kagome-sama!" Kohaku stuttered, blocking the angry priestess's path as she tried to make her way towards her opponent. Sango wrapped her arms around the volatile woman as she struggled, "He's not Naraku! I promise that!"

"Like hell! Let me at him!" Kagome snarled, blue eyes spitting fury at the man behind the younger taijiya. A flash of hurt crossed his face, but she disregarded it immediately. Naraku knew how to fool people by manipulating their emotions.

"It's true, Kagome-chan!" Sango wheezed out, digging her heels in and attempting to stop the smaller girl from waving her sword around erratically, "Before you met Kohaku and I, we were hired by Kagewaki-san to deal with some renegade demons. He was possessed by Naraku the entire time!"

"When you and Inuyasha purified Naraku, it set his soul free too!" Kohaku continued quickly when the younger woman stopped struggling, trying to piece everything together and keep from skewering the man that looked so much like her nemesis through the gut, "He's been waiting to meet you for a long time. He wants to thank you."

"Whu- Whaat?" Kagome choked out, staring at Kagewaki as though she was seeing him for the first time. Which might just have been true, in this case. There wasn't a hint of malice surrounding him, his eyes weren't that terrifying glowing crimson color. Hell, she didn't even sense the faint tingling of the miasma Naraku was always so fond of. This man... he was completely human.

"Remember what you said and give him a chance!" Sango hissed quietly, releasing the priestess and stepping back a few paces. Kagewaki glanced at the older taijiya, and must have been given some kind of signal, because he nodded and bowed politely to the flabbergasted girl.

"It's an honor to finally have the chance to meet you as myself, Kagome-sama."

"I... Uhh... Thanks?" Kagome squeaked, flushing darkly at the smooth cadance of his voice. It was funny; with Naraku's cold cruel personality and the malicious intent that had oozed from him, she'd never once thought about whether he'd looked nice or not. The former shogun was definitely a refined handsome young man. "It's... umm... nice to meet you too? The real you, I mean!"

Inwardly, she was smacking herself. _'Stupid! You sound like an idiot!'_

"Ye must not worry so, Kagome. Kagewaki bears ye no ill will," a familiar voice spoke from the doorway of the hut as the curtain was pulled aside. Kagome's breath caught in her throat and she gave a tentative bob of her head to the tall man standing in front of her before dashing around him and flinging herself into the old priestess's embrace.

"Kaede! Oh! I missed you soo much!" She took several deep breaths to keep the urge to cry from surfacing. She wasn't a crybaby anymore! She was a strong independent woman that knew how to take care of herself now! She'd come a long way from that frightened 15 year old that had accidently brought the Shikon no Tama back into the past.

"And I have missed ye as well," the old woman answered, patting the shaking girl on the back gently before pulling back, "Now, let me have a good look at ye, child."

"You want me to look sharp?" Kagome joked, remembering the first time she'd met Kaede. The other priestess chuckled and turned the girl's chin this way and that just a little.

"Ye are not a half-wit, Kagome. This old one knows that truly. Most of all," Kaede reasoned, a grizzly smile lifting some of her wrinkles before she pursed her mouth in a thin line, "ye are well on your way to become something so much greater than mine sister could ever hope to achieve. This seal, however, is rather complex, is it not?"

Kagome blinked slowly, processing the old woman's words and nodding just as her chin was released. She was thankful that Kaede had said that, even though she'd long accepted that there would always be a part of her that would remind them all of Kikyo. "Yeah. It's draining me until I have nothing left. It doesn't help that if I use my powers, healing or otherwise, that the energy isn't replenished. At this point, I'm down to my last reserves. Once those are gone..." She shuffled her feet sadly, "I'll be a normal girl. A normal, everyday spirit here in the Soul Society. They'll probably throw me out of the Court Guard."

"No they won't," Sango piped up, fear making her brown eyes shine. "They'll do something worse."

Kaede looked around for a moment, then gestured them all towards the large hut. "Come, this dicussion should not be held where others can hear. It would be wise to not mention such weakness in public, Kagome."

The younger priestess nodded and turned to glance at Sango's anxious expression.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Once all were settled in, she began to explain what had happened after she'd made the wish on the Jewel. Kaede made her explain what little she could remember of her Konsol.

"See, that's the strange thing. That's the only part I don't really remember that well. All I know is that I was watching over my family three months after my death one minute, the next I'm surrounded by this warm feeling and I hear chanting. I'm pretty sure that's when the seal was placed on me."

"I see. So the shinigami that crossed ye was responsible for thy constriction on thine powers," the old weathered woman murmured, nodding before indicating she continue.

"And that was it. I woke up in Rukongai. District 40, actually, and started healing and helping people to the best of my ability. Four years later, I was being sent off to the Shinigami Academy." The younger priestess shrugged after that, poking at the fire in the middle of the floor.

"Describe the warm feeling again in detail. Perhaps it might jog thine memory a little."

"Like I said, it was warm, like being curled up by a fire and reading a good book. All I can remember of the voice was that it was male sounding."

"This is most peculiar. All of us remember at least the faces of the ones that crossed us," Kaede sighed, dishing up the stew in the pot over the fire and passing it out to everyone.

All were silent for a few moments before Kagewaki cleared his throat. It made Kagome jump juat a little. She still wasn't really used to the man that looked so much like Naraku being in the same room as her without trying to manipulate or kill her.

"I would like to speak to Lady Kagome, if you will permit this," he started, directing the last part of his sentence to the startled priestess. She nodded uncertainly after Sango elbowed her slightly.

_"Give him a chance!"_ hissed through her head, and she finally straightened up and gave her full attention to the former shogun. He gave her a small smile of thanks in gratitude.

"Words can not express my gratitude enough, Kagome-sama," Kagewaki murmured, bowing so deeply his forehead almost touched the floor, "I am forever in your debt, my lady. Should you **ever** need me, all you must do is ask."

Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to push words past her dry lips. This...

"... Please... Please don't bow to me. I'm not some great noble or-!" The former shogun sat up quickly, determination shining in his eyes.

"You deserve nothing less than the outmost respect, Kagome-sama! Do not believe for one moment that you are less than a savior. A hero to all that were touched by Naraku and that tainted jewel!"

"If I was such a great hero, how come I died?!" the priestess snapped, glaring angrily at the stunned noble, "How come I was killed almost instantly when that car swerved and hit me as I pushed my little brother out of the way?! How come I was sent here and my powers were sealed so tightly that I'm losing my position as a shinigami?! How come, even after wishing that filthy stupid jewel out of existence, its' effects are haunting me even in death?!"

The entire hut was silent in the wake of her words, and she ducked her head, feeling her eyes tear up. Damn it! She **was not** going to cry! Jolting to her feet, she murmured "Excuse me" and fled.

She wouldn't cry! Not in front of anyone!

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"I did not mean to upset you, my lady," his voice murmured from behind her. Kagome took a few deep breaths, her eyes squeezed shut as she reigned in her emotions, and glanced back at Kagewaki. He stood there, regret shining in his eyes as he watched her very carefully. The priestess shook her head.

"No. It's not you I'm angry at," she answered, biting her lip and glancing away, "I'm... It was more self-directed. I just... I feel so helpless right now. All those things you said about me? I don't feel like some great hero. I'm not strong, I'm certainly not in complete control of what little spiritual energy I have left, and I just-!" Her tirade was cut off abruptly when the former noble enveloped her in a hug. She was a little stunned; this man that she only just barely knew was giving her an outlet.

"I can understand your frustration, Kagome-sama, but it does not negate the great things you have done and what you sacrificed in order to restore peace to the world," Kagewaki explained, pulling away and resting his hands on her shoulders, "Even when Naraku had control of me, there was a small part of me that could still see and know what you were fighting for. I admired that strength you possessed; something that I was not able to exude. Whereas I fell to Naraku's schemes, you stood and rebelled with everything you had."

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I'm just... I'm scared. What if I can't lift this seal?" Kagome whimpered, shaking her head to try and steady herself. Her vision was starting to get splotchy. What was going on?

"Then I don't doubt for a moment that Kaede-sama would take you in with all of us," the former noble replied, his gaze narrowing sharply when the small shinigami began to sway a little, "Are you well, my lady?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine! Just... lots of... excitement... today-!" the priestess murmured, her words slurring as her world tilted. The last thing she heard and saw was Kagewaki frantically calling her name and a pink glow surrounding her before she lost consciousness.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"-too much stress. It is draining her far faster than I feared," a voice above Kagome registered as she dragged herself out of sleep. Gods, she felt so **tired**!

"What can we do, Miroku? I mean, I've never seen anything like this! Even when we were all alive!" Sango's words swam in her head for a moment as she tried to decipher what the other woman was talking about.

"Wherever it was you took her to, do not do so again." Ah. That sounded like Captain Kuchiki. Wait... What was he doing in Rukongai?

"She needed to speak with someone that we all knew!" Sango snapped, sounding usually angry. Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she focused on the ceiling of a roof that seemed rather familiar. Oh. The hospital.

_'Great. What did I do this time?'_ She was about to sit up, but a pair of cool violet eyes pinned her to her spot. It'd been a while since Miroku had given her that look. And it made her swell with the need to apologize, never mind that she hadn't had any control about it this time.

"I see you're awake, Kagome, and that you decided to go off on another little adventure without me," the monk muttered, gaining everyone else's attention. Kagome swallowed slowly and nodded as she pulled herself upright.

"I just wanted to say hi to Kaede. That was it, I swear!" she begged, meeting disapproving purple with pleading blue.

"And no one thought to warn me when **he** came walking in with you unconscious in his arms!" Miroku hissed, waving one arm in the general direction that she assumed Kagewaki was in.

"Did you try to kill him right off too?" the priestess asked innocently, twisting a pattern in her sheet as she refused to meet either Sango or Byakuya's gazes.

"I thought I was hallucinating at first, but then when I pinch myself and he didn't go away, Sango nearly murdered me herself. She held me at swordpoint to keep me from taking the man's head off!" her old friend flailed his arms, sending the taijiya in the room a nasty glare. She had the decency to look ashamed.

"I was preventing unnecesary bloodshed," the brunette murmured.

"You will all explain to me what happened or I will begin pulling rank and ordering," the only Captain in the room hissed out, sending a cold look from one feudal friend to the other.

"Kagome just had a little fainting spell, that's all," Sango explained quickly, making the other girl wince and sigh.

"I hardly believe that was all," the noble growled out.

"It was! I wouldn't lie about her! Especially in the condition she's been in recently!" And they were back to arguing again. Kagome almost snorted. Sango could sure be viscious when she wanted to be.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Miroku asked quietly, not wanting to draw himself into the fight.

"Yeah. Just got a little over-excited today, that's all," the black-haired girl replied just as quietly. It seemed to be enough to appease the monk temporarily because he backed off and glanced at the door. Poking their heads in were Rukia, Rin, and Renji. Apparently the calvary had been called.

As the newcomers entered the scene and tried to calm Byakuya and Sango down, the former guardian turned her mind inward and let her gaze unfocus briefly.

Kagome searched the deepest part of herself and began to worry. Whatever had caused her to black out, it had altered something inside her. Something that was urgently telling her that she had a lot less time that she'd originally thought.

Somehow, her situation had become critical to her survival.

_'I can't tell them.'_ Staring around at the people that were murmuring around her, she clenched her top over the spot where her heart was. _'I won't tell them.'_

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A/N: You guys, I am so sorry about the massive screw-up! This was supposed to go before **Induction**! I can't believe I messed up so bad! I feel horrible, but I'm going to fix it! This means, though, that I'll have to repost those other chapters. Once again, I apologize for my lack of sense, but this one-shot won't make any sense unless I fix it all!

The next couple of chapters will be up in a few days. Again, I am **so** sorry!

Please don't murder me!


	20. Induction

Summary

Rukia takes Kagome to a Shinigami Women's meeting. The girls decide to induct the former shard hunter. Her task is... interesting.

A/N: You guys are all so amazing for being there and dealing with all my crazy stuff with me. I am so humbled by everyone's continued support and help in making this story the best it can be. Thank you!

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As promised, Sango had managed to pull Kagome away from her duties for a Saturday to take her ribbon shopping. Also as promised, she'd invited Rukia to come along with them. Though the former slayer was a bit leery of the noble woman, she nonetheless resolved herself to getting to know her before she truly started to judge. After all, Kagome liked Rukia.

_'But then, Kagome likes just about everyone,'_ Sango thought with an inward sigh, _'I don't think that girl has a hate bone in her body.'_ The only exception she'd seen the former priestess make was due to Naraku's manipulations. Shaking herself out of her stupor, she smiled and picked up a delicate looking pale blue ribbon with white lace on the edges. "What about this one, Kagome?"

Kagome turned from her perusal of a buttercup yellow ribbon and eyed the blue one with a sense of trepidition. "You do realize that I don't get fancy ones now because I probably won't be able to keep them very long, right?" Rukia tilted her head in the direction of their conversation as she turned a delicate hair stick over in her hands. She'd been thinking of a few things, and she'd come to a decision regarding Kagome and Sango. Hopefully, the two girls would be in agreement with her.

Sango giggled and replaced the ribbon, much to the vendor's dismay. "True. At the rate you're going, he's going to have every one that you own."

"Bah!" the former time traveler waved her hand in annoyance, "I wouldn't even wear my hair up if it didn't get in the way all the time." Blue eyes unfocused briefly as she thought before she came back to herself, running a hand absently through her long hair. She'd decided to actually wear it down today. "Maybe... I should get it cut?"

That got Rukia's attention. She knew that her brother liked the other shinigami's long hair. "What were you thinking of?" Kagome tilted her head a little as she made a decision and pulled some money out to pay for the yellow ribbon before tucking it into the sleeve of the simple kimono she'd worn on their outing.

"I don't know. I'm thinking maybe I should just chop it all off so I don't have to wear it up," she sighed, turning away from the stall and moving to one that she'd seen out of the corner of her eye that sold some interesting looking trinkets. She was thinking of buying one for Rin the next time she saw the little girl. Her two companions stared after her horrified and Sango clutched her hair in fear.

"Kagome! Think of what you're saying! How long did it take for you to grow it out to the length it is now?!" the Squad 11 girl squeaked. Rukia nodded rapidly, trying to think of some way to deter her friend. If Byakuya knew she'd just let her do it...

"It looks so nice! Why cut it?" the smallest shinigami helpfully pointed out.

"It's just hair, Sango. It'll grow back eventually..." Kagome muttered, shaking her head and setting down a bauble, "It took me almost five years to grow it out as long as it is now. I used to wear it short when I was a little girl because the other kids would tease me and put gum and stuff in my hair."

"What?!" Rukia demanded, narrowing her eyes in fury. "Who were these kids?!"

"Oh!" the priestess countered, "It was when I was alive. I used to get teased by the other kids because of my eye color. They all insisted that I wasn't full-blooded Japanese because they were blue. It didn't matter that both of my parents were Japanese and that I got my eye color from my dad. It was different, therefore I was different."

"That's so sad..." Sango murmured, giving her old friend a hug for support. "Why would they do that?"

"It doesn't matter," the other girl waved it off, smiling happily, "We all do stupid things as kids. They grew up and grew out of it. A lot of those kids actually became good friends of mine." Sango nodded and reached over to pluck an orange ribbon to present to the reminiscing priestess.

"What about this one?" Kagome gave the bright color a critical look and smiled. "Actually, I think that one would suit Rin better than me."

"Yes, but we haven't seen her," the taijiya replied.

"Ah, I have. She lives with Captain Ukitake. She's one of his sisters."

"Oh. Well then, let's get it for her!" Rukia bit the inside of her lip and decided it was now or never.

"Listen. I have somewhere I need to be this afternoon, and I was wondering if the two of you would like to come with me?" Kagome and Sango blinked at the same time and glanced at eachother. Sango made her choice first, much to Kagome's chagrin.

"I can't. I have a squad meeting this afternoon and I have to be there." Sango shrugged at her old friend's disappointed look, "It's mandatory."

_'That means that Yachiru will be missing,'_ Rukia thought, nodding inwardly. It would probably be for the better too. The tiny pink-haired girl would have asked for something ridiculous.

"What's it for?"

"I'm in the Shinigami Women's Association, and was wondering if either of you were interested in joining. We're looking for more members," Rukia answered, giving a slight smile and dropping her cards on the table. "We're having a meeting today at my home."

"I don't know... I've been avoiding Captain Kuchiki since I shoved him into the ocean a few weeks ago..." Kagome hedged, earning two bewildered sets of eyes on her, "What?! He started it! All he had to do was give me my friggin' ribbon back and I wouldn't have dumped that bucket of water over his head!"

"And then you wouldn't have been tossed into the ocean," Rukia reminded her solemnly.

"And then I wouldn't have pushed him off the cliff to get him back," Kagome finished, nodding sharply when the bewilderment became astonishment. She deflated then, "I ended up going in with him. Stupid super reflexes of his..."

"I know where my brother stashes your ribbons," the noblewoman suddenly compromised. The former time traveler was paying very close attention to her now.

"Okay... I'm listening..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Attention!" Nanao Ise called out, looking at the crowd of women that were scattered about the large room. It was a good thing Yoruichi had soundproofed the walls; otherwise they probably would have already been caught. When her voice had no effect, she scowled and took a deep breath. "LISTEN!"

"Wooow! Nanao's got some volume today!" Rangiku teased good-naturedly, nudging Kagome over so she could sit next to the priestess. Said priestess nodded, eyes wide as the meeting got underway. Looking around while the Squad 8 Lieutenant made some announcements, she nodded at the familiar faces that she caught gazes with and swallowed delicately as she happened to see the excited grin on Yoruichi's face. She wasn't too sure about this...

"Finallly, I'd like to welcome all of the new ladies that have joined us today," Nanao continued, sending an adoring glance at Kagome. The former time traveler cringed and avoided the curious looks Rangiku and Rukia gave her. "As you all know, there is a test that you must all go through before you are inducted, so we, the members, shall interview you one at a time to determine what your task will be." After a few more things, the new potential members were dismissed. Kagome rose, dusted off her yukata, and turned a small smile to Rukia.

"Well, that was interesting, but I need to get going."

The noble blinked. "You're not going to stay for your interview?" The priestess shook her head.

"I'm not joining. Besides, Captain Kuchiki gave me some paperwork involving an incident with Miroku groping some poor girl in Squad 2. Apparently, Captain Soi Fon wasn't pleased." At that, the other women that knew the monk winced and shook their heads.

"Idiot," Rukia muttered under her breath before she bounced back. "That's no reason for you to not join."

"I'm just not that big into the whole idea." Rangiku chose that moment to interfere.

"If you don't at least try, Kagome-chan, I'll send Captain Kuchiki the pictures I took of you in the swimsuit Yoruichi picked out for you..." Kagome whipped around and gaped at the sly blonde.

"You wouldn't!" the raven-haired girl squeaked, flushing a dark shade of red in mortification.

"You don't believe me?" Kagome stared at her with wide eyes.

"I'll tell Nii-sama where you keep all of your spare ribbons," Rukia whispered to the priestess. The other shinigami hung her head in defeat.

"... Fine. I'll stay for my friggin' interview."

"Great! You can go ahead and go then!" Yoruichi popped up next to her, smiling innocently and pointing at the room that Nanao, Lieutenant Ise, and Captain Unohana had disappeared into. Grumbling under her breath about manipulative friends, Kagome stomped over to the room and slammed the door shut.

"Do you think she'll make it?" Rukia asked, glancing at the door. They all knew what the priestess was going to have to do.

"Yachiru-chan doesn't call her Koneko-chan for nothing," Rangiku answered flippantly.

"... I thought it was just some random nickname," the smaller shinigami mumbled absently.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"This is insanely stupid!" Kagome hissed a few days later, balancing on top of the wall surrounding the Kuchiki Family's property. Glancing around and surprised that she hadn't been spotted by the guards yet, she dropped down onto the other side, landing lightly on her feet. When she'd sat down for her interview, the last thing she'd expected was to be told to sneak into her Captain's home and steal one of his prized koi fish... without being caught. Apparently Yachiru did it often enough that the noble had become somewhat paranoid. The situation had become even more ridiculous when **Captain Unohana**, of all people, had presented her with a skintight black catsuit that the priestess had nearly had fits over. Sango might have been fine with it; she'd worn her taijiya uniform so many times it had caused a permanent problem with Miroku's groping tendencies, but she had developed a modest streak since coming to the Soul Society. No more school skirts for her! After being given a bowl to put the poor fish in and wished good luck, she'd made her reluctant way to the noble's territory.

_'What's more stupid is the fact that I need to do it in order to get those damn pictures from Rangiku-san,'_ the former school girl sighed inwardly, keeping to the shadows and slinking around a corner. Years ago, she'd have loved doing something like this. It had been part of a training session that both Inuyasha **and** Sesshomaru had surprisingly agreed she'd desperately needed. She blamed her clumsiness on the era she'd been born in. Inuyasha insisted it was innate. Sesshomaru hadn't argued; merely forced her to comply with his wishes. It had helped, in the end, and she hoped that her pseudo-master was proud of her now.

_'Good old Sesshomaru... I wonder, if I go to the Living World again, will I run into him? Or would he be in Tokyo?'_ Shrugging off her nostalgia for the taiyoukai, and the Feudal Era in general, the sneaky priestess, temporarily playing ninja, stole over to the pond that the koi fish were kept in and observed the brightly swimming fish. They were all so pretty, but she knew, by size alone, that she couldn't take one of the bigger ones.

"Hmm, one of the little ones then." glancing around, she spotted a net and grabbed it. Poised above the unsuspecting fish, she started to dip it into the water to go after the one she'd chosen when an ominous shiver skater down her spine. Uh-oh.

"Well, well, well..." a male voice drawled from behind her. Gulping, Kagome slowly began to turn her head, but a hood was thrown over her face before she could get a good look at her companion. She shrieked and dropped net and bowl, becoming more disoriented when she was lifted and carried under his arm like a sack of rice.

"The Master doesn't appreciate thievery. We'll settle this in a few moments."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"What are you doing?" Byakuya grumbled, eyeing whoever it was that his Zanpakuto was carrying under his arm as the spirit crossed the garden he was sitting in. He couldn't tell who it was because of the hood over their head, but the distinctly feminine curves and petite frame encased in what he was almost positive was a catsuit that he'd seen flaunted in some movie from the Living World he'd watched with Rukia had him immediately on guard. If those damn **women** were infiltrating his home again...

"I found her attempting to fish one of the koi out of the pond," Senbonzakura replied, setting the girl down and pulling the hood off of her head. Black hair spilled down delicate shoulders in waves and Byakuya could have choked. What was **Kagome** doing running around stealing his **fish**!

"Higurashi..." She looked up at him guiltily, blue eyes wide and pleading.

"It's not what you think! I was just-! I'm being blackmailed and I..." she trailed off, looking for some way to explain that she wasn't doing exactly what it looked like. When she caught sight of Senbonzakura, though, she seemed to lose her train of thought because she jumped up suddenly and hissed like a scalded cat at the Zanpakuto. "You!"

"Me," the spirit answered blandly.

"You stole my purple ribbon!"

"I did."

"I want it back!" she snapped, striding right up to the tall male and poking him in his armored chest plate. Byakuya watched the scene unfold with a sense of amused abandonment. Apparently, Kagome had forgotten her fear of being caught.

"I no longer possess it," Senbonzakura replied, shrugging his shoulders in an uncaring fashion when the priestess made a noise of outrage.

"Then I'm going to enjoy strangling you until you figure out a way to re-possess it!" the girl shrieked, tackling the Zanpakuto unexpectedly to the ground and reaching for his throat. The Captain's eyes widened at the display of violence and he swooped down to seize the woman attempting to asaphixiate his sword spirit. Snagging an arm around her waist, he hauled her up and pinned her to his side.

"Enough, Higurashi," the noble reprimanded gently when she tried to struggle out of his hold. Kagome growled under her breath, but stopped wriggling around, which was probably safer for his sanity. He could really only take so much before he just lost it. "Now, why are you here dressed in... **that**..." He couldn't think of an appropriate word to describe the skintight suit and simply let his sentence trail off. Disturbing, maybe. Undeniably mouth-watering, definitely.

"And stealing your fish," Senbonzakura put his two cents worth in, making the priestess twitch murderously.

"The minute I get you alone, pal..." she made a wringing motion with her hands. If he hadn't been wearing his mask, the volatile woman would have seen an eyeroll.

"It is pointless threatening him. He will merely return to annoy you later, Higurashi," Byakuya countered blandly, earning what would have been a glare had the spirit not been wearing his mask.

"Your confidence in me is overwhelming, Master," his Zanpakuto muttered in annoyance, "and your patience has become outstanding as of late." Kagome gaped at him, then turned accusing blue eyes to her Captain.

"He's **your Zanpakuto**?!"

"... Yes. This is Senbonzakura," the noble finally admitted after a momentary pause. Swinging her piercing gaze back to the spirit, Kagome began to analyze the other male intently. Now that she knew, the niggling feeling in the back of her head made complete sense. It was because Senbonzakura's presence was so similar to Byakuya's that she'd felt like she was being watched here. The Zanpakuto had probably been following her the whole time in the Kuchiki's property! Another thought occured to her and she blurted out a question before she could stop herself.

"Did you tell him to steal my ribbon?!" Senbonzakura choked back what sounded like a laugh as Byakuya glared at him.

"No. He did that of his own free will," the Squad 6 leader grit out, waving his hand, "You are dismissed, Senbonzakura."

"Might you actually accomplish something today, Master?"

"Leave."

"All right. I understand," the spirit grumbled, knowing to not tease the other man at the moment. Apparently, that patience of his had finally run out. _'Good. Now, maybe he'll finally quit dancing around this whole issue. Hisana wouldn't have wanted him to be miserable forever.'_ With that thought firmly in mind, the Zanpakuto disappeared in a flurry of pink blossoms, elicting a gasp from Kagome.

"He did that last time too," she murmured with a hint of longing, "Now that I understand, though, it's pretty... and flashy."

"Yes. He's a bit of a show-off," the Captain grumbled. The priestess giggled quietly and Byakuya realized with a morbid sense of embarrassment that he still had the girl pinned to his side. It was even more embarrassing that he didn't want to let her go. He blamed her current attire completely.

"If Zanpakuto are extensions of ourselves, does that mean **you** are a bit of a show-off too, Captain?" Kagome asked slyly, a smirk lighting her features as he finally let her go.

_'Cunning little minx.'_ He started off, heading back in the direction of the koi pond, and she automatically followed. That small thing did wonders for his pride. When he stopped at the pond, though, the smaller shinigami was looking a little pale. Served her right for trying to steal his fish.

"Now, why were you trying to take one of the fish," Byakuya stated, because even now, he still wouldn't just ask. Kagome shuffled her feet against the grass and refused to meet his gaze.

"Well, you see, I was just going to borrow one of the little ones."

"You were going to borrow one," he deadpanned.

"Yes."

"Without permission," he continued in an increasingly bland tone.

"But with every intention of returning it in a couple of days," Kagome argued, waving her hands in the air to try and make her point. She hung her head then. "I wasn't supposed to get caught though."

Byakuya thought for a few moments and the answer hit him suddenly. "You're doing this for that ridiculous Women's Society."

"... Eeh, sort of. But it's only because they made me. I wasn't going to join, but Rangiku-san and Rukia forced me into doing it!" the priestess countered, cringing at the dark look that stole across his face. Oh boy, he was mad.

"And this required you to steal-!"

"Borrow!" she corrected quickly.

"-**borrow** one of my fish?!" he finished incredulously. Kagome sighed quietly and resorted to pulling out all the stops. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"I just..." she deliberately trailed off, looking pained, before she raised wide teary blue eyes to him, "I just needed one for a little while. I'll take good care of it, and bring it back completely unharmed. But only until they're convinced that I didn't get caught. Pleeeaaase!" To be safe, she clasped her hands in front of her and gave him the ultimate 'Pity me, oh noble one!' look.

He knew what she was doing. Yoruichi had fooled him enough times when he was younger to know that he was being played. But those big blue eyes... and her pleading expression... and damn it! That ridiculous **suit**!

_'Oh, how you have fallen far, Kuchiki.'_ Reaching over and plucking the fishbowl from where he assumed she'd dropped it when Senbonzakura kidnapped her, he gathered a net and surveyed the swimming creatures before scooping one out and dropping it into the bowl with some water. Then, not looking at her so she wouldn't see the flush starting to spread across his cheeks, he thrust the fish at her.

"You may keep it," he grumbled reluctantly.

"Oh! Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I'll bring it back in a couple of days, and-!" she was cut off abruptly in her excitement.

"No, I meant," Byakuya bit the inside of his cheek and tried again, "It is yours."

Kagome gaped at him, then the small fish swimming circles in the bowl. "Wha-! But why?"

"I want to."

"I... really?" When he nodded, she felt she needed to ask, "What can I do to repay you?" Kagome watched the emotions flicker across the noble's face for a few seconds before he schooled his features back into his normal stoicism.

"Do not join the Women's Society."

"That one... I don't really have a choice on." At his irritated look, she elaborated, "Like I said before, I'm kinda being blackmailed." He huffed and looked away towards the trees.

"Then, I will suffise with another form of payment," Byakuya murmured reaching out one hand to hold up the fish bowl and using the other to raise her chin up a little.

"Captain?" He didn't respond, merely tilted his head down so that their breaths mingled. Kagome stared up at him with wide eyes.

_'Is he-!'_ His lips pressed against hers for a moment; soft, warm, and gentle, and she faintly realized why he'd put a hand under the bowl. She would have dropped the poor thing otherwise. After a moment, her eyes started to droop as she memorized the way he smelled, like sandalwood and what she was sure was oak, then he pulled away. "Go back then, Kagome, and tell them no one saw you." When she did nothing but continue to stare up at him, he had to assume she was in shock, he turned her around and gave her a light push towards where he knew the gate was.

Kagome automatically started for the gate, unbelieving of what had just happened. He'd **kissed** her... She stopped and seemed to come back to herself.

"And Higurashi." The former time traveler glanced back at Byakuya, watching a scowl cross his features briefly, "Don't wear that **thing** again in public." He nodded at her catsuit and she flushed darkly. Whipping away, she scampered off like a contrite puppy and disappeared from his sight.

"Good work, Master," Senbonzakura murmured from his place in the treetops, "You've managed to completely confuse her."

"... Shut up."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Kagome wandered into her barracks room in a daze, wondering if today had been real or some incredible dream. After presenting the fish to the other women, they had deemed her their newest member and congratulated her on passing. She'd merely nodded and told them she needed to get home.

"Ah. You've returned!" Miroku spoke, nursing an ice pack on the bump marring the side of his head.

"... Miroku?"

"Hmm?"

"... Can you pinch me? I think I'm dreaming or something," the priestess muttered, collapsing on the bed and putting her head in her hands. Her monk friend gaped at her for a few moments before deigning to respond.

"I think Captain Soi Fon hit me harder than I realized. Did you just ask me to pinch you?!"

"Yeah. I won't get mad and hit you for it either." With a shrug and a guaranteed freebie, he reached over and pinched her backside. She twitched and automatically slapped him on the arm.

"You said you wouldn't hit me!"

"You could have chosen a different place, so that was for being perverted," Kagome countered effectively. Mirkoku sighed and nodded as he rubbed his arm with a free hand.

"Why did you ask anyway?"

"Well..."

"What happened," the monk persisted gently.

"... Mmmph mmmph..."

"Milady, you're mumbling," her friend chided her, elicting a blush from the priestess.

"... Captain Kuchiki kissed me." Miroku stared at her for a moment before he snorted uncharacteristically.

"About time."

"Whu-What?!" Kagome squeaked, goggling at her old friend in shock.

"I've been wondering when he'd get around to it," he elaborated, much to the girl's confusion.

"What do you mean 'get around to it'!"

"Well, I'm fairly positive that our esteemed lordship has had designs on you for quite some time now," Miroku explained, grinning pervertedly before continuing, "It was quite obvious, but you've always been a little blind when it comes to that sort of thing."

"Don't lie, Miroku! It's a terrible habit!" the former time traveler hissed, crossing her arms and glaring at the monk.

"Why would I lie. He proved it by kissing you," he shrugged, rising to his feet and starting out the door, "Also, Lieutenant Abarai told me to inform you that there will be sword drills tomorrow and that you should rest up."

Kagome groaned and fell back into the bed, more confused than ever. Had Captain Kuchiki really kissed her because he liked her? Or was it simply to seek repayment for the fish. Looking over at the little fish wriggling in its' bowl, she snorted and rolled over.

"You were so much more trouble than you're worth, little guy."

Fishy-chan continued to swim and squirm long after the priestess had fallen asleep.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A/N: Aaaand cue the 'Squee's that make us all sound like demented fan girls at a boy band concert. Hahaha! I hope you guys enjoyed this. Inspiration came from remembering all those little asides at the end of the Japanese subs where Yachiru runs around stealing Byakuya's koi fish. Too funny.

Again, I really apologize for the screw-up earlier, so please be kind and leave your review again!


	21. Storyteller

Summary

Kagome is enlightened on the happenings after her disappearance back into time... The result leaves her stunned.

A/N: And now, one of the moments you've all been waiting for. Thank you again for everyone's patience as I fix my mess-ups. I hope you guys enjoy!

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She sat on her bed with her legs crossed as she surveryed one of her closest friends. She'd been curious for a while now; about his story. Of course, with her seal draining her, she'd put the questions on the back burner to be answered at a later time. But now...

Now she was dying to know.

"So, Miroku, what's the deal between you and Sango?" Kagome decided against beating around the bush and dove right in, twirling a strand of her hair as she watched the monk peruse an interesting scroll that he'd found in the Kuchiki library. He tensed and gripped the scroll for a second before deliberately relaxing his hold. If he tore it, Lord Kuchiki would probably skewer him. Violently.

"Why so curious, my sealed friend?" Miroku asked nonchalantly, trying to play his emotions off as amused. The deadpan look he received cemented the fact that the priestess wasn't falling for his act in the least.

"You were so tense around her, not to mention you didn't even attempt to grope her," the girl replied, ticking the list off on her fingers, "Plus, her reaction made it seem like she'd swallowed something nasty, you barely spoke a few words to her, and you didn't even consider staying and make plans for all of us to get together any time soon. What gives?"

Miroku stared at her for a moment before a soft smile lit his face and he shook his head. "Since when did you become so perceptive, Kagome-sama?"

"Since I realized that paying attention is better than getting killed," Kagome countered, a slight smirk flitting across her features before concern replaced it. "What happened after I left? I've been really patient, but I need to know now. Weren't you and Sango going to get married?"

The monk stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, gathering his thoughts and memories, before he let out a slow breath and lowered his gaze to the floor. "We were. Everything had been planned too. But, after Naraku's defeat and your wish, everything fell apart. You disappeared and we all grieved. Sango, I think, might have mourned the hardest and the longest. She told me that the day you vanished was like losing a sister. She was... in so much pain." Miroku's eyes slid shut involuntarily, recalling the day with unnaturally vivid clarity. "She stayed in Kaede's village for a long time, and I roamed the land, waiting for her to come back to herself. I'll admit, I was probably gone too long, and I didn't handle the situation the way I should have. I went back almost four years later. By then, Sango had moved on..."

"Oh, Miroku, I'm so sorry," Kagome murmured, laying a consoling arm around the monk's shoulders. He took another breath and steadily met her gaze.

"I don't know what exactly happened, but she was married and expecting a baby."

"Who was it? The man she married? Anyone we knew?" Miroku snorted and nodded.

"Oh definitely! I was just as surprised as everyone else when I found out, of course. No one ever expected it, after all."

"I take it that it wasn't that Kuranosuke guy then," the priestess countered, tilting her head to the side, "Was he human? He must have been; I don't think Sango would have married a demon, with her slayer background and all."

"He was not human." Kagome's blue eyes narrowed. Her old friend was being evasive now. But why?

"Okay... Someone we knew that wasn't human... Kouga? No... Ayame wouldn't have let that happen. Umm..." She started and stared at the man sitting next to her, "It wasn't Sesshomaru, was it?!"

"What?" Miroku choked, goggling at the girl incredulously, "What made you think **that**?!"

"You said unexpected!" the former school girl accused, crossing her arms defensively across her chest, "And that would have been unexpected."

"More like heart-attack inducing!"

"Just tell me already!" Her patience had worn out and now she was getting angry.

"Inuyasha! She married Inuyasha!" For a moment, they were silent. Then, Miroku choked for a second as Kagome grabbed his collar and yanked him close enough that they were nose to nose. The priestess looked furious. He hadn't seen her this angry in a long time.

"I said to stop joking with me, Miroku!" she hissed, blue eyes narrowed to slits as she shook him a little, "Don't pull my leg about Inuyasha!"

"I'm not."

"Miroku, so help me-!"

"If you don't believe me, then go ask Sango yourself!" the monk snapped back, disentangling her painful grip from the front of his robes and rising to his feet to stride out the door. "Don't accuse me of not being honest with you. I have more respect for you than that, Kagome-sama."

With those parting words, he left the shell-shocked priestess to sort her thoughts out.

Kagome watched the normally jovial man storm from her room, the hurt flashing through his violet eyes forcing her to reconsider her rash reaction. He was right; Miroku, for all of his scruples, would never lie to her.

_'So, do you really want to know the truth Kagome-girl?'_ The answer was obvious to her, no matter how much it was going to shock and hurt her.

Yes. She wanted, no, **needed** to know. No matter how much it was going to hurt.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Rukia blinked when she watched Miroku stalk right past her without a single word. She'd gotten used to him making some kind of pass at her whenever they happened to cross paths, so the lack of any interaction was more than enough to tip her off to the fact that something was bothering him. Turning back the way she came, the noblewoman followed the monk, catching up to his fast pace in a few seconds.

"Hey. What's your hurry?" The man spared her a glance and a slight nod before choosing to not say anything. Rukia narrowed her eyes. She didn't like being ignored. At all.

"I said something to you! It's rude to not respond, you know!" she snapped, glaring angrily at the civilian man. He sighed quietly and shook his head.

"I apologize, Lady Rukia. I have a lot on my mind at the moment, and I'm not really in the mood to match wits against you."

"Is it about Kagome's seal?"

"To an extent," Miroku replied, raising his eyes to the ceiling for a moment to ask for mercy before continuing, "It's more along the lines of I'm upset at Kagome for being purposely obtuse about some things. She needed some time to herself, but if she doesn't return after a while, will you see if you can find her? It looks as though we may have rain tonight."

"Yes, I'll keep an eye out for her. She does seem to be in denial about some rather obvious things recently."

"Like the fact that your esteemed brother has taken quite a liking to her?" Rukia blinked slowly and stared at the monk.

"You noticed that, did you?"

Miroku contained th urge to snort. "Pardon mt blunt words, but I'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not see how Lord Kuchiki favors her."

"He's a little more discreet than that," the noble grumbled, an annoyed look floating across her face before a gleam entered her eyes, "Did you happen to have any suggestions on how to get them to confess?"

Miroku shrugged nonchalantly, "Lock them in a bedroom together? I'm sure more than confessions would be accomplished that way." Rukia rolled her eyes and absently reached over to pinch the pervert on the arm. He jumped and yelped.

"Pervert. My brother is more honorable than that!"

"Well, think of it this way," he rebuffed, "Your brother has been celibate since the death of his late wife, correct?" At the alarmed look on the girl's face, he elaborated, "Kagome told me about your sister. I always thought the two of you were blood-related, honestly." At her small smile, he continued, "Anyway, Kagome is an attractive young lady, one that happened to enchant several mens' hearts when we were alive without even realizing it."

"What are you saying?" Rukia asked, her gut clenching for a moment.

"A man has needs, my lady. Even a man such as Lord Kuchiki. He'll only be able to take so much before he reaches his breaking point, if he hasn't already."

The small shinigami went over the words in her head as she recalled the last few months. Byakuya **was** getting impatient; and he was known for his short fuse. Surprisingly, he'd been very considerate when it came to Kagome, and she was wondering if it was because he was truly considering a long-term relationship with her.

"Which is why I suggested the room. No man could resist our dear friend all trussed up and spread out on a bed just waiting to be-!" Miroku gleefully continued, a dreamy look flittering across his face before Rukia slapped him upside the head.

"Pervert."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Finding Sango was easy enough. Deciding on how to broach the subject of old loves was giving her the fits. Still, Kagome squared her shoulders and strode into the Squad 11 training grounds like she owned the place. Now all she had to do was look out for Captain Zaraki. Glancing down at her sword and swallowing slowly, she reached out with her senses to see if she could feel the abrasive reishi that belonged to the berserker. It came as a surprise when nothing came back to her, but she shrugged it off; she was a little preoccupied at the moment, after all.

"Well, hello there, Kagome," Yumichika waved at her as she passed. The priestess gave him a quick smile and waved back.

"Hi, Yumichika-san. Where can I find Sango?" On a second note, she added, "And where is your Captain?"

"Sango is down in the throwing range swinging around her Zanpakuto," the effeminite man replied, "And Captain Zaraki is out at the moment. He'll be disappointed that he missed you."

"Uhh... Tell him I'll come by again soon," she countered, not really sure if that was the right thing to say. When the other shinigami's eyes gleamed and he nodded, she inwardly groaned and moved on. _'That probably wasn't the best thing to say, but I guess I'll just have to deal with it when the time comes.'_ A few minutes later, she was peeking around the corner and watching her old friend meditate.

_'She's always looked so poised when she's about to start training. I suppose I'm a little jealous... Could that have been the reason why Inuyasha was drawn to her?'_

Sango lifted her blade and settled it over her right shoulder behind her back in a diagonal position. It almost looked as though-

_'As though she was holding her old boomerang.'_

"Whirl, Hinotama." The blade glowed and bent at an angle severely, pulsing with power as it reshaped itself. When the light settled, the former slayer was standing proudly with her former weapon, her shoulders and arms plated with her slayer armor.

_'So that's where it went...'_ Kagome thought faintly, dizzily assessing the spiritual pressure her friend was giving off. She was **strong**! Sango bent her arm and let her weapon loose with a familiar cry. Shaking herself out of her memories, the priestess stepped out into the open and waved as she called out to the other girl.

"Sango!"

The taijiya caught her blade, the force pushing her back a few inches before she turned and gave a large smile.

"Kagome! What are you doing here?"

"Ahh, I actually came by to ask you a few questions," the smaller shinigami replied, stopping in front of Sango and glancing at her boomerang, "That's a familiar sight." Now that she was having an upclose look, though, she noted some differences; like the edges were no longer a smooth bone, but possessed a wicked steely glint to them.

"Yes. I was surprised when Hinotama took the shape of Hiraikotsu, but I suppose it makes sense also," Sango shrugged, strapping the huge weapon to her back like she used to. The familiar weight calmed her jittery nerves. Maybe it had something to do with Kagome's seal?

"I talked to Miroku today," Kagome started lowly, her eyes drifting to the ground for a moment before she raised them again and locked stares, "He told me that you and Inuyasha got together. Is that true?" The former slayer flinched and nodded slowly. She'd been wondering when the news would get out to her old friend and how she would react.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome," Sango whispered, her dark head down as she stared at the dust covering her shoes, "We waited. We waited three years for you to come back. You never returned, and I... I was so far past the marrying age by then. Inuyasha knew what I was going through because you were our family to us. We understood eachother; knew what the other had been through. We never had to hide anything or think about the other possibly lying."

Kagome closed her eyes sadly. In her mind's eye, she could see the silver-haired rough-around-the-edges hanyou and her sister figure with a family. Sango, after everything she'd been through, deserved to be happy. Hell, they all had!

"I just... Please, forgive me! I know you loved him," the former taijiya begged, "I'm sorry it took so long to tell you, but I was afraid you would hate me."

"... Just answer this," the priestess asked, oddly calm despite the turmoil her emotions were in, "Were you happy? Did he love you for yourself?"

There was a glow to the other woman's eyes as she responded. "Yes. I was happy. And... Inuyasha never once compared me to you or Kikyo." The smaller shinigami bit her lip and nodded slowly as she opened her eyes.

"Then... I can't fault you for that. Either of you." Kagome turned and ran before she found herself in tears at her old friend's feet. Ignoring Sango's calls for her to come back, she disappeared into the treeline, no clear destination in mind. She simply ran.

Just like every other time she'd been hurt.

_'I'm always running...'_

Above her, thunder rumbled ominously as rain started to pitter-patter around her, but she paid very little attention to it.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

When she finally stopped to catch her breath, the priestess knew she was far away from most civilization. The only way someone would find her was if they decided to follow the erratic trail of spiritual energy she'd left behind. She wasn't expecting much though. Not very many people would be out in this weather. Kagome stared unseeing up at the sky as the rain fell around her, consumed by her memories and impossible what if's. What if she'd been able to stay in the Feudal Era? What if the well hadn't closed after her wish? What if she hadn't died so shortly after? What if she'd just stood there and-

The image of her little brother flashed before her eyes, wide-eyed and terrified before he was moved and she was staring down bright twin lights, the echo of a horn screaming in her mind- The priestess visciously shook her head. No! She didn't regret pushing him out of the way! What she did regret was the fact that she hadn't been able to be there for him like she should have. Like the big sister she was supposed to be.

_'Maybe this is why our memories are supposed to be erased. So that we don't regret and dwell on things that we could not change in our lives.'_ Not for the first time, she cursed the Shikon no Tama. Somehow, she was sure that the little jewel was the reason she could still remember her past. After all, it was the same way for everyone that had been touched by it so far.

A small hand touching her arm jerked her out of her daze and Kagome glanced down into sorrowful hazel eyes.

"You are sad again," the little girl murmured, water dripping through her black shoulder-length hair, "I do not like it when you dwell on the things that upset you, My Lady."

"Hotarubi... I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry," Kagome reassured, biting the inside of her cheek before letting her gaze wander back over the field she'd found herself in, "I just... I always wonder about what could have been. I mean, Sango seemed really happy to be with Inuyasha, and I can't be mad at her or him if they loved eachother. But I feel..."

"Lost," the spirit finished, stepping closer and hugging the taller woman, "You are unsure of your place now."

"Yes... I would have loved him," the priestess whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt them tear up. No one would ever have to know that she'd cried. The rain would cover it all up.

_'And yet... I've spent so many tears on him. I haven't cried since I came to this world. Why should I start now?'_

"There are those in this world, though, that need you now," the little spirit explained, trying to get Kagome to understand this as well. She'd seen the interactions her master had gone through with the new people she'd begun meeting, and Hotarubi thought it was fantastic that they were so accepting of the former priestess. Now, though, she needed to take the next step. "You should tell them. And soon, milady."

"Yeah. I know," Kagome sighed, smoothing back the little girl's bangs absently before giving the Zanpakuto a strained smile, "But, how do you tell your superior officer that you were once a priestess? And, not just any priestess, but **the** Guardian of the Shikon no Tama?"

"You were **what**?" a voice behind her gasped, making the priestess whip around in shock. Hotarubi, in her surprise, let go of her corporeal form and burst into a multitude of tiny little lights, flittering around Kagome in her distress before she remanifested in her sword state.

Rukia stood there, a slack-jawed expression painted across her face as she held loosely to an umbrella. It was obvious that she'd come out here looking for the other woman in order to usher her indoors and out of the rain. Had Sango tried to get the other girl to help look for her?

"Rukia..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

_Hinotama_- falling star

_Hotarubi_- light of a firefly

A/N: Yes, that is Kagome's Zanpakuto. I thought long and hard about a name and everything that wouldn't be horribly cliche, and I really like the idea I plan to put behind Hotarubi. For a good idea of who she looks similar to, I recommend Hotaru Tomoe from Sailor Moon. She's going to be very interesting. She'll also be reappearing again; just not sure when that will be yet. And Hinotama is the name of Sango's Zanpakuto, if you smart people haven't already figured it out. Again, I wanted to go with something original as far as names went. I hope you guys approve.

Still leaving the cliffhanger. Sorry all, but I am proud to say that I am 90 percent done with the next chapter. It will be up very soon. Like, a few days soon.

Again, thank you all for your patience! I appreciate everyone's support! I just can't believe I had forgotten a chapter! And such an important one too! I'm losing my mind, I swear. If my head wasn't attached to my shoulders...


	22. Turning Point

Summary

Rukia contemplates the fact that her closest friend in Soul Society is famous. Kagome has a lie in. Byakuya wonders what his sister is hiding from him.

A/N: I'm baaaack! Sorry about the delay. Details are in the A/N at the end. But anyway, on to the next installment!

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**Last Time**

_"You should tell them. And soon, milady." _

_"Yeah. I know," Kagome sighed, smoothing back the little girl's bangs absently before giving the Zanpakuto a strained smile, "But, how do you tell your superior officer that you were once a priestess? And, not just any priestess, but __**the**__ Guardian of the Shikon no Tama?" _

_"You were __**what**__?" a voice behind her gasped, making the priestess whip around in shock. Hotarubi, in her surprise, let go of her corporeal form and burst into a multitude of tiny little lights, flittering around Kagome in her distress before she remanifested in her sword state. _

_Rukia stood there, a slack-jawed expression painted across her face as she held loosely to an umbrella. It was obvious that she'd come out here looking for the other woman in order to usher her indoors and out of the rain. Had Sango tried to get the other girl to help look for her? _

_"Rukia..." _

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Kagome panicked. What the hell was wrong with her, damn it?! How could she have just blurted out one of her most important secrets for someone to hear?! Why hadn't she sensed her?!

_'Are my powers really getting that bad?'_ she thought, her stomach dropping in horror. If she couldn't sense Rukia, who on the quick path to completely recovering her shinigami powers, then what would she do if she couldn't sense Hollows or a Captain-level shinigami. _'Hell, Captain Kuchiki could sneak up on me with hardly any effort before!'_

"K-Kagome?" Rukia stuttered, shuffling a few steps closer to the distraught girl. The priestess's reiatsu was roiling about her in agitated waves, and if she didn't do something about it soon, she was going to start attracting trouble. "You need to calm down. I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about."

Kagome brought herself out of her thoughts and blinked slowly. "You won't? Not even your brother?"

"Not unless you tell me it's okay or if it involves a life and death situation," the noble replied, breathing a sigh of relief when Kagome's volatile aura retracted and settled.

"... I'm sorry. I should have said something sooner, but..." the former time traveler started hesitantly, trailing off for a moment before taking a deep breath and continuing, "but I don't even know where to start. Or how to go about telling anyone. I just... I just wanted to be me. Just Kagome for once."

Rukia bowed her head for a moment and stared at her feet. Then, with a newfound resolution, she lifted her gaze and squarely met Kagome's troubled blue eyes. "You're a bit of an idiot, you know." The other girl gaped at her and she happily continued. "I don't care if you're famous, or what you did in your past life, or even if you're powerful or not. We're friends, Kagome, and it's my impression that friends stick together no matter what. Or do I have that wrong."

"Rukia..." there was an inflection of wonder in her voice as Kagome watched her noble friend rant.

"I mean, I wasn't born a noble. Byakuya adopted me because my sister begged him to before she died. I'm from one of the worst districts out there, so I have no room to talk." Violet-eyed girl had been prepared to continue to make her case, but cut herself off abruptly when Kagome tackled her in a fierce hug.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I am so happy that you understand!" the priestess whispered, the urge to start crying again nearly overwhelming her vow to not shed tears. Finally, there was someone that understood her need to be just Kagome! Sure, Miroku and Sango understood in a sense, but they and the others all still saw her as the Shikon Guardian as well. It was a title that she knew would forever haunt her.

And Rukia didn't care.

"But before you tell me everything, I think we need to get out of the rain. We'll go to my home," the noblewoman demanded, re-situating the umbrella over the two girls and starting the trek to where Kagome was quickly starting to call her home away from home.

_'Funny how that works,'_ the priestess thought, pulling off her wet clothes and shivering when the cool air hit her skin. She decided to forgo a hot bath in lieu of the situation and donned a sleeping yukata. She was just belting the waist when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in!" Rukia stuck her head in and looked around, before nodding and sidling in. Sliding the door closed, she immediately made her way to the bed and curled herself around a large pillow for the all important 'Pillow Talk'.

Establishing a resolution to herself, Kagome sat next to the other girl and slowly started to explain her story to the wide-eyed noble. She'd never told anyone everything, but once she started, the words couldn't seem to wait to stop tumbling from her mouth.

It took hours, and so many questions that both girls' brains were mush, but when she finally took a cleansing breath, the former time traveler felt... light. Airy.

_'Free...'_

"Okay, so I understand that you came from a time period of ten years ago and that you traveled through a portal that took you five hundred years back, but that doesn't explain how you came to be in Soul Society," Rukia surmised, leaning back against the bed next to Kagome and closing her eyes. "You survived the Final Battle, and you weren't grieviously injured. So, what happened?"

The former school girl took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. "I came back home, to the era I was born in, and the well closed. Six months later, my little brother Souta was accidentally pushed into oncoming traffic by some people standing on a curb. They were my age, and just joking around, and one of them bumped into Sou-chan. He went into the street, and I pushed him out of the way of the car that couldn't stop in time."

She remembered the screech of tires, the honking of the horn, people screaming, the intense pain. Her brother's eyes that were the same color as her's staring down at her in horror... Kagome blinked back tears again.

"I died in his arms before the ambulance could get there. My spine had been snapped and there wasn't anything anyone could do."

"Oh Kagome..." Rukia murmured, putting a hand to her mouth in shock. What a horrible way to go...

"I didn't regret much, you know. Just that I hadn't been there for him a little more. I didn't realize we would get so little time together after I came back."

"And then you moved on?" Oh gods, she **hoped** that the other girl had!

"I stayed and watched over them for about three months after, and then a shinigami came and sent me on," Kagome concluded, closing her eyes and shoving the regret that she always carried deep down in her.

The two girl's were silent for a few moments, letting everything that had transpired between them settle before Rukia turned to face her.

"I won't tell a soul. Not unless it's an emergency."

"... Thank you, Rukia. You're a wonderful friend."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Morning dawned bright and early for Byakuya as he rose and dressed for the day. Yesterday had been hectic at best, and with Kagome's brief disappearance that had set more than a few people on edge, he'd put several of his family affairs on hold. It had been a relief when Rukia had informed him later in the night that she'd found and brought the soaking priestess home with her.

_'It was, however, odd to see Rukia so subdued after speaking with Kagome.'_ His sister always seemed to be a bundle of smiles and energy after a talk with her friend, but this time, the other noble had been subdued and jittery. Almost as though she'd wanted to tell him something but couldn't bring herself to.

Shrugging it off for the moment, he made his way to the informal breakfast room, expecting to see Kagome sitting there chattering with the other noble as though she hadn't caused him the worst night of sleep that he'd managed to get since the passing of Hisana.

What he was met with was Rukia paging through one of the old family books on Soul Society History and Legends and a sorely neglected breakfast as she devoured whatever she was reading.

Byakuya took a moment to gather his fraying temper-

_'Don't snap at her. It's not her fault.'_

-and asked in a polite voice, "Where is Higurashi?"

Rukia barely glanced up and took an absent bite of her cooling rice. "Probably still asleep. She was pretty emotionally drained last night."

"From what?" His sister looked up then and became instantly guarded.

He didn't like it. Not at all.

"Rukia..."

"I'm not allowed to say. She said she'd tell you when she could muster up the courage," the smaller shinigami babbled, waving her chopsticks in the air as a sign of her agitation. "Please don't try to force her! It's an enormous thing for her."

He nodded jerkily and sat at the table for a few minutes before he got up and headed towards the door.

"Byakuya..." And **somehow** the way the younger sibling said his name just now reminded him of his mother.

"I will not ask her, but she will eat breakfast with us whether she falls asleep in her miso or not." With his resolve stated, the current Kuchiki head swept from the room and elegantly made his way towards Kagome's guest room.

Rukia sighed and turned the page in her book as she rolled her eyes. "Men. They never listen."

_'We'll see if he keeps that bravado when she's given him an earful for waking her up so early.'_

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Kagome groaned when she felt fingers playing with her hair before a gentle tug made her come out from under the blankets. Gods, but she felt awful! It was like everything was spinning and stuffy!

_'Maybe I shouldn't have forgone that bath last night...'_ But she'd been so **exhausted** after talking to Rukia! Well, now she was paying for it. She was sick.

"Mmph!" she grunted, taking a swipe at whoever was disturbing her. Cracking her eyes open, she was met with the visage of her Captain standing over her. She didn't even try to muster the energy to be surprised; the man was popping up everywhere nowadays.

"Higurashi."

"Captain... Let me sleep..." the former school girl croaked, pulling the lock of hair he had in his grasp away before deliberately turning away from him.

"You weren't at breakfast."

"I know. I was here. Sleeping." She hoped he would get the message.

The bed dipped and she rolled back over to face him. Just short of sticking her tongue out and ranting, though, his gaze sharpened and he reached out a hand to rest on her forehead. The priestess sighed at the contact. It was definitely something she wouldn't have done under normal circumstances.

"You're sick," Byakuya murmured, letting his hand slide from the top of her head to her cheek. Kagome's eyes closed blissfully and she leaned into his hand. "You have a fever." He started to pull away but stopped abruptly when the girl actually whimpered.

"Don't go. Your hand... feels so nice..."

"How long were you out in the rain yesterday?" It was his tone that made her realize he wasn't going to go anywhere until she answered.

"I dunno... Couple hours maybe?"

"**Hours**!" he ground out, clenching his teeth. The noble glared at her. She didn't even have the decency to flinch. "What persuaded you to do **that**?"

"I was thinking about some things," Kagome harrumphed, crossing her arms and glaring herself, "I **am** allowed to do that without permission still, aren't I?"

Byakuya took a deep breath and steadied the mounting anger in him. The woman was going to be the death of him! Hisana had never made him worry so much!

_'She's not Hisana, though,'_ he had to remind himself. No, Kagome was in no way Hisana. But that was why he was so captivated by the blue-eyed girl staring him down.

"You are being childish, Kagome," he intoned with a sense of calm.

"Then I guess that makes me a child!" the priestess hissed, sitting up to get a better angle on her glare, "You didn't even know I was gone until Rukia brought me here anyway."

"You know nothing!" the Captain snapped, rising up and pacing the length of the room several times. "I was on patrol of the barracks for most of the evening looking for you! Especially when your monk friend crossed paths with me several times doing the same thing! I was **worried**!"

Kagome slumped back into the pillows in dawning comprehension. Looking him over, she winced inwardly as she noticed the smudges under his eyes. He'd lost sleep because he'd been looking for her. Probably had been forced to stay up to finish paperwork he'd neglected in the process of looking for her too.

_'I'm such a bitch...'_ the former time traveler thought miserably. And the mounting headache building behind the back of her eyes was only making her feel worse. Tears pricked her eyes and she tried to force down the urge to cry. She **wouldn't** cry over this, damn it!

Byakuya stared as he watched the tears building in Kagome's eyes with a growing sense of horror. Gods, he'd made her cry! When was the last time he'd made a girl do that?! When he was a boy?

_'Now I feel terrible.'_ She reached up a shaking hand and hastily wiped the almost tears away.

"M'Sorry... It's not your fault I ran off," the smaller shinigami whimpered, "I'm not mad at you. I'm just... There's so much I'm stressed out about. I needed some time alone..." Kagome lifted one of her arms and covered her eyes. She couldn't stand the idea that she looked so pathetic and weak in front of someone she admired so much.

"I apologize, Kagome. I should not have said what I did to you, especially when you're ill," the Captain murmured, sitting back down next to her and running a hand through her tangled hair, "I realize things are difficult and I suppose I should respect your need for space."

_'Please, just please don't cry.'_

"... I'm so afraid right now," Kagome murmured, already starting to drop off again. The emotional rollercoaster she'd run herself on recently was starting to catch up to her with a vengence. Sooner or later, she was going to break.

"What is it you fear?" Byakuya asked gently, trying not to disturb the lulled she'd put herself into.

"... Death."

"Why would you fear death?" That made no sense to him at all!

"You would fear... it too... if you were dying..." the priestess slurred out, lashes fluttering as sleep claimed her, "but don't tell... Captain Kuchiki... He'll be mad... and I don't like... seeing him upset... M'not worth it..." Her voice finally gave into sleep and she said no more.

Which left one Byakuya Kuchiki paralyzed in stunned horror. She was dying?! But why?! How?! How long had she known?! How could he have not realized it?!

_'It's that smile of hers. It's so disarming, you never suspect something is wrong until it's far too late. If she hadn't been sick and half-delerious, would she have even told me?'_ These questions left him with a whirl of thoughts and what if as he stepped out of the room. Outwardly, he was the picture of calm. Inwardly, his mind was swirling with questions and possible solutions.

He needed to speak with Miroku immediately. Even if he had to beat it out of the monk, he **needed** to know everything about Kagome in order to find a way to save her.

"But first, I need to know what Rukia seems to be keeping secret," he muttered, turning down the hall and making his way towards his sister's room.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Rukia paced and fretted. And fretted as she paced. She was torn in two over loyalties. On one hand, her brother deserved nothing but the outmost respect and honesty from her. To deliberately lie to him would leave such a burden on her conscience that it would eat away at her. On the other hand, Kagome had given her greatest secret to her to keep under wraps. And what a secret it was!

_'The Shikon Priestess! It's so amazing that I've been friends with someone so famous!'_ Kagome's actions in her life had literally shaped the way the Soul Society had grown in those five hundred years. And, now that the other shinigami had given up the ghost about her time traveling capabilities, it all made sense too!

A knock on her door stirred her from her thoughts and she pulled back the shoji to meet her brother's troubled gray eyes.

"Nii-sama? What's bothering you?"

Byakuya took a breath and steadied his emotions. The worry in his gaze was replaced by a no nonsense cool gleam. "We need to talk."

"All right. Come in." Stepping aside, she allowed the other noble into her domain. It was highly unusual for her sibling to come to her in private like this.

Byakuya looked around the room for a moment then chose a spot against the wall near the small table that was set up. "... What has Kagome told you about herself?"

"Excuse me?" Rukia blinked. She hadn't been expecting that question.

"Your defense at breakfast was a clear enough indication that she told you something important," the Captain retorted, an accusing sting to his words that made the girl wince.

"She asked me not to say anything!"

"How could you not! Do you not realize how dire the situation is now?"

"What do you mean? It's not that big a deal, Nii-sama!"

"You're not worried at all?!" he hissed, glaring furiously at Rukia. She harrumphed and crossed her arms.

"I don't see why you're getting upset. So she's famous and the building block for Soul Society's current laws! It's not any more important than the Kuchiki family's achievements for peace!"

Byakuya blinked slowly and processed what his sibling had just said. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Rukia, and I believe that you may not know why I'm so concerned."

"You don't? Kagome didn't tell you that she's the Shikon Priestess?" the girl asked, slapping a hand over her mouth in horror when the other noble's gray eyes dilated in shock and he thumped himself onto her bed.

"**Kagome** is the **Shikon Priestess**?"

The tiny shinigami hesitated, decided that the cat was out of the bag, and finally nodded. Byakuya hissed and jumped back up.

"It all makes **sense** now!" he snapped, pacing one way then the other as the pieces started falling into place. "The reason why I suspected her reishi was purer than normal. The way the seal is eating into those powers. The **healing**! It was all there!"

"... Byakuya... What did she tell you?" Rukia asked, dread filling the pit of her stomach at how badly her normally stoic brother was ranting. It had to have been because his emotions were so deeply involved at this point that everything was having such an effect on him.

The Captain slowed to a stop and clenched his fists in anger.

"She's dying."

The adopted noble stared at him as he sank slowly onto the bed and held his head in his hands.

"She's... dying?" her voice cracked but she hardly cared. Rukia was still trying to wrap her mind around the possibility.

"Yes. Her soul is intimately connected with her powers. Powers that the seal is draining away. When they die out-!"

"She dies too," his sister finished breathlessly, the grave urgency of the situation finally sinking in. "Do you think Miroku knows?"

"I doubt it. He would have told us of it if he did." As she watched the way her older sibling simply took deep breaths to try to calm himself, a ringing thought presented itself to her suddenly.

"You love her, don't you." It wasn't a question. I didn't have to be; she already knew the answer.

"... I do," Byakuya murmured, closing his eyes to try to ward off the feeling of helplessness that was swamping him. All he could see was Hisana's serene face as her casket was closed and she was lowered into the earth. Forever asleep.

A warm body wrapped itself around his waist and he had the sense of mind enough to realize that Rukia was hugging him. It was odd; he'd never really been the type to hug. It was somewhat comforting.

"We'll save her, Nii-sama. We'll find the cure and she'll be back to normal in no time."

Slowly, he returned the embrace, Rukia's conviction lighting the determination inside him to see this through to the end.

"We will."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A/N: Oh no! What are the Kuchiki siblings going to do now! Will they be able to pull together and save Kagome? Find out next time!

And I sound like those cheesy narrarators off a tv show. -gets pelted- I know I know! I'm a horrible evil mean person for pulling another plot twist. But it just makes it so much more dramatic when all is said an done. This is where it's starting to get into the climax and the thick of the plot. Don't worry though. That doesn't mean the story is almost over. I have such plans...

Sorry it took so long to get this out. Life hit me pretty hard in the last week or so. My dad got married again, so I went to New Jersey over the last weekend. My mom had to have major back surgery because she ruptured two discs in her lower back. And she's going to need my help for the next six weeks, so everything else is going to be put on hold for a little while. I'll work on the next chapter when I can, but it's just not my priority at the moment.

Hopefully, I'll see you all soon! Keep us in your thoughts!


	23. Resolution

Summary

With a chance to finally fix things, Kagome sets out to the Rukongai to meet with some familiar faces.

A/N: For those of you that have been wondering and worrying, no, I am not abandoning this story! I've just had **a lot** on my plate recently that has forced me to put fanfiction on hold. That being said, I am sorry for how it took to get this to you guys. I hope you all can understand. I'm not trying to make excuses, but I do hope you all can continue to remain patient with me. Anyways, here's the next chapter and I hope you guys enjoy it!

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She was pacing. She knew that it agitated him, but Kagome had been off for the last several days. Ever since she had returned from the Kuchiki's home after being ill, the priestess had been wound up and tied in knots about something. He had thought it was merely nerves; as their day to countdown had been set for the end of the week.

But now, he had the distinct feeling that he was missing some extremely important detail about his old friend. Something that he was sure both of the Kuchiki siblings knew about, but were refusing to disclose. It really had him on edge.

"Kagome... You should be practicing you're meditation. You're not going to get very far in anything if you don't." The monk's voice was chiding, and it cut through the girl's train of thought. She blinked and sighed as she dropped to the bed next to her friend.

"Sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Anything I can help with?"

"Well... I told Rukia about my past," Kagome murmured, staring at her feet for a moment before raising clouded blue eyes to meet surprised violet.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Miroku asked, raising a brow when the priestess nodded. "How did she take it?"

"A lot better than I thought. She didn't freak out or say anything mean. Actually, Rukia gave me her full support. She even said she wouldn't tell Captain Kuchiki until I could."

"Are you going to before we take care of this seal?"

"I... I don't think I'll have the time to..." the former school girl sighed, turning her head away to watch her little koi fish wriggle around in his bowl. She'd taken a personal liking to the thing and felt guilty about the fact that she was going to be leaving it without someone to take care of it. Maybe she'd visit Rin again and gift the little guy to the child.

"I know you're worried about how much time you have," Miroku started carefully, watching his old friend closely as she became suddenly closed off, "but you'll be back after we fix this. Perhaps then it will make the confrontation easier for you. I do, however, advise you to not put it off much longer."

"Right..." The monk's eyes narrowed when he noted the girl's gaze became unfocused again; almost as though she was having some sort of internal debate with herself.

"Kagome, there's something that you're not telling me. You've been acting different ever since you came back from your visit with Kaede almost a week ago."

"I'm fine, Miroku. I'm just feeling a little jittery." She brushed him off and sent him a bright smile.

To him, though, the normally easy look seemed forced this time. It was time to try and put the poor girl at ease. Flicking his gaze to her, he drew a letter out of his sleeve and waved it in her face.

"I got your mission log. I haven't read it yet, but maybe you can find something in the list to distract you a little." Kagome truly brightened and reached for the note, an eagerness he hadn't seen in a while appearing in her movements.

"Let's see..." Perusing the note, the smile disappeared from her face to be replaced first, by confusion, then anger. Crumpling the note up, the former time traveler jumped to her feet, snarled something unintellegible, and threw it in the corner. She then stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly and rudely.

"... Kagome?" Miroku asked belatedly, blinking quickly and moving to follow. He stopped and grabbed the letter, unwrinkling it and reading the contents. The monk swore under his breath and slumped back down on the bed. He **did not** want to follow the volatile girl right now.

_'Lord Kuchiki, you better be ready to deal with an angry priestess. This was not the way to help her at all,'_ he thought, sighing and staring at the little koi fish doing loops as he set the note aside.

_Due to extenuating circumstances regarding recent illness, Kagome Higurashi has been removed from the active roster effective immediately. Please regard concerns to the Captain of Squad 6._

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

She was going to give the arrogant noble a piece of her mind. And maybe open up a can of Whoop Ass on him too. How **dare** he pull her from the roster! It was bad enough that she couldn't participate in kido drills, and with her frequent blackouts, he'd forbidden her from sparring; but at least she could still patrol! _'Nothing ever happens on patrol!'_ Kagome thought angrily, stomping down the corridor and turning in the direction of her superior's office. Even if she had to scream herself hoarse, she was going to fix this! Setting her sights on Byakuya's door a moment later, she gathered her wits and slammed it open with a long-practiced finesse.

She must have startled him a little, because he was on his feet with his blade drawn defensively. He blinked when he saw who it was, though, and narrowed his eyes in a way she'd subconsciously realized was his annoyed expression as he sheathed the Zanpakuto.

"Higurashi. I assume you have a reason for such a dramatic entrance," the Captain stated, because even as infatuated as he was with her, he still wouldn't ask. Taking his seat, he watched the girl carefully for any signs of exhaustion, raising a brow when Kagome huffed, advanced further in and slapped her hands down on his desk. This upset some of the stacks of paperwork and caused them to flutter around their feet.

Leaning over so she was nose to nose with the noble, the former priestess grit out slowly, "I want that letter excusing me from patrol revoked. Now."

"Who are you to demand such a thing, Higurashi," Byakuya countered calmly, not phased in the slightest when her energy flared with the furious spark that entered her eyes.

"I am perfectly **fine**, Captain!" the woman growled, "I am certainly capable of going on patrol and doing missions!"

"In the last month, your health has degenerated to the point that accessing you powers is more of a hinderance than a help. As long as that seal is still in place, you will not be extorting what little energy you have left," Byakuya explained in that adultish voice that made her want to throw something preferably heavy at him. The way he spoke the word 'hinderance', though, made her think of how useless she'd been for the longest time hunting for Jewel Shards. She knew he was only looking out for her best interests, but she hated not being given the choice.

Thinning her lips, she stared him down hard. The aristocrat didn't so much as twitch, let alone blink, and Kagome finally exhaled and dropped into the seat opposite him. "You're not going to revoke it, are you."

"Not until you are better." He was tempted to add "and away from death's grip", but feared that he would scare her. She still hadn't voluntarily told him that she was, in fact, dying, and it was starting to eat away at him. Would she actually do so of her own violation?

Kagome looked away guiltily and stared at the wall in apprehension for a few minutes. There was no way she could tell him that she wasn't going to get better. Nodding to herself, she rose and muttered under her breath, "I don't like the fact that you didn't give me a choice," as she swept out the door, all of the fight dropping out of her. She just didn't have the extra energy to stay mad right now.

Byakuya blinked, not expecting her to give up so easily. Was the priestess really that far gone? His gut was telling him to go after her, but he refused, knowing he'd probably see her later today as she warned Miroku away from Rukia.

Ignoring the way his heart clenched in dread, he let his brow twitch as he started to gather up his paperwork again.

_'Ridiculous dramatic woman.'_

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"You're back already?" Miroku quipped, tilting his head a little when Kagome plopped down on her bed tiredly. He was more than a little worried now; usually, Kagome argued something until she was blue in the face. Looking at the former time traveler now, though, he had to wonder how taxing this seal was if it was affecting her arguments.

"I just don't have the energy to duke it out with Captain Kuchiki right now," the woman replied, groaning quietly and rolling to her side. "Wake me up in an hour?"

"Actually, I was hoping, since you are evidently indisposed for an unforseen amount of time, that we could go for a visit." Kagome furrowed her brows and sat up slowly, staring at the monk in curiosity.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I got a letter from Kaede, actually. She thinks she knows a way to break the seal." His old friend was all ears now, leaning forward with wide blue eyes and bated breath.

"Are you serious?! That's great! We need to go see her! Now!" Kagome whooped, jumping to her feet and dragging Miroku out the door.

"I thought you said you were tired!"

"Not tired enough to take a trip!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

By the time the duo got to Kaede's, though, Kagome's enthusiasm was flagging and she flopped in an exhausted heap next to a sympathetic Kohaku. The younger slayer even went as far as to make her some tea. She thanked him gratefully and sipped the hot liquid as she turned her attention to the old priestess sitting across from her. Kagewaki poked his head in, gave the boy a look, and motioned for him to come outside. Kohaku stood, resting a hand gently on Kagome's shoulder, and headed out, trading places with the former shogun as he took a seat in the hut.

"Now, child. Since ye have last visited, Kagewaki and I have taken some time to go through our old memories to find some sense in breaking yon spell," Kaede started, giving Kagome a grave look before she continued, "As a priestess, thine powers are connected to thine soul. Sever that connection..."

Miroku was paling in horror as the implications finally hit him. Why had it taken so long for him to see it! "She'll die..." He turned angry violet eyes to the cringing girl next to him. "You knew all this time! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"You were already working yourself into exhaustion trying to find a way to break it! I didn't see any point in upsetting you more!" Kagome defended, sincere worry shining in her cobalt eyes that made the monk deflate in shame.

"A lot of good I did. I still have nothing."

"I had a suggestion," Kagewaki murmured, earning the rest of the hut's attention. He looked over the haggard appearance of the woman that had saved his soul and decided to plow on. "I do have memories of some of the spells that Naraku became involved in. To make incarnations isn't as simple as you'd think. You needed to have a strong will, and a good sense of magic. As Onigumo, he was simply a human, but once he learned to harness the powers of the demons that devoured his body, he had some abilities that even I was impressed with." At the group's confused looks, he continued, "Some of those demons possessed a magic that was called alchemy."

Miroku's already pale complexion went ashen and he shook his head. "You cannot possibly be suggesting-!"

"It's the only way I can see shattering the seal on Kagome-sama!" Kagewaki interrupted heatedly, "I wouldn't have said anything if I didn't think it could work! Naraku used alchemy and exchanges to make himself more powerful. There is even one that is supposed to break down seals and revive the dead. You saw it for yourselves!"

"What are you-!"

Kagome gasped and stared at the brunette with wide eyes, "Are you saying that the reason Naraku was able to break down the barrier to Mt. Hakurai and bring back the Band of Seven was because he used alchemy?!"

"Exactly. It was powerful, and something like that might just be enough to get rid of the seal on you, Kagome-sama." Miroku turned to his friend and saw that she was actually considering the option.

"Kagome, alchemy is extremely dangerous, and something that none of us have any experience using. It's a lost art; a dark art. Once that usually requires a live sacrifice to make work. Someone as pure as you wouldn't be able to handle it. Only a tainted psychopath would attempt to use it."

"... I don't really have a lot of a choice if I want to live, Miroku," Kagome murmured softly, knowing in his heart that she'd already made the decision.

"Then... let me be the one to do it. I won't let you sacrifice your soul like that," the monk countered, raising his chin defiantly and giving the younger priestess a look that she knew all too well. There was no way he was going to back down.

"You're a fool, monk. You haven't the ability to use such dangerous magic," a hard voice outside the hut cut through their conversation, causing the group to turn to the door. The flap lifted and was brushed aside as a woman entered the small space and stared at them all with cold dark eyes. Kagome's heart went into her throat and a shiver skated through her soul. That white hair and those dark robes were very familiar to her.

"Tsubaki. I never expected to see you again," Kagome whispered, catching the dark priestess's attention.

"Of course you didn't. I had no intention of revealing myself to any of you either, but the balance has been horribly upset," the former candidate for guardianship of the Shikon no Tama snapped, "and if you die here and now, it will likely reactivate the Jewel. I, for one, don't want to see that damned cursed thing ever again. So, only this once, reincarnation of Kikyo, will I attempt to help you."

Kagome stared at the other woman for a moment before her senses came back to her and she was nodding slowly. "All right, Tsubaki. What do we need to do to get this alchemy thing working?"

"First, we need to return to where you first appeared in the Soul Society..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Darkness fell and the lights were dimmed out to accommadate those readying theirselves for bed. For others, it meant time to move out.

"And we're leaving without Sango... why?" Miroku asked suspiciously, carefully sneaking behind the quiet priestess as they moved through the quiet Squad 6 barracks.

"Because I don't want her to get in trouble with her squad. Just because she's my friend doesn't mean I should drag her down in my problems," Kagome replied, biting the inside of her cheek at the thought of what her other oldest friend would do if she found out they'd left without her. _'Probably flay us both alive.'_

"I don't think she'll see it that way," the monk murmured under his breath. Kagome stopped suddenly and he almost ran right into the girl. "What?"

"I need to do one last thing before we go," she sighed, turning down another corridor and heading in a direction that made her friend want to swallow. Why was she heading towards Lord Kuchiki's study?

"Kagome..."

"You stay here. I'll be right back." She disappeared before he could form a protest so he sat back to wait. They were already on a time crunch as it was, so he could only hope that his old friend wouldn't take too long.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Sliding the door open quietly, she was thankful that the man was not currently in the room. It would have made things that much harder, and she was resolved to do this. Maybe this way, if things didn't work out, Byakuya could have a little something to remember her by. The priestess looked around the immaculate room, her nose filling wih sandalwood and oak as she approached the desk. The same desk that, a few hours ago, she'd slammed her hands on in the process of her tantrum. It seemed like such a long time ago now and so juvenille on her part. And the infuriating man had sat there and talked her out of her self-righteous rage like a pro.

Kagome took a deep breath, shoved back the urge to simply collapse in his chair and sob, set the blade in her hand on his desk with the note that she'd prepared earlier, and bolted out the door before she lost her nerve. Unknowingly, the note fluttered to the floor as she fled and turned end over end, coming to rest on the ground face up next to her Captain's desk.

_Thank you for everything. _

_Please don't worry for me any longer. _

_I'm sorry. _

_Kagome_

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

He knew the moment he strode into his office that something was wrong. Horribly wrong. Glancing around to see if anything had been misplaced, Byakuya's gaze landed on his desk and he froze, not hearing a single word that Rukia was saying as she followed him in. It felt like he'd been punched in the gut, the panic briefly delaying itself in light of what he was seeing.

There, sitting on his desk, was a Zanpakuto.

"Nii-sama? Are you listening? What's wrong?" his sister asked, furrowing her brows at the appalled expression making its' way onto her sibling's face. She swung her violet eyes in the direction he was looking and murmured "Oh..." in shock.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A/N: Yes yes. I know. We've all been over how evil I am. Lucky for you guys that I was working on the next chapter the same time I was working on this one, so it shouldn't be too long of a wait. Certainly not as long as it took to get this one out. I'm sorry again about that. Things are just crazy around here. But never fear; I **will** finish this story. I won't leave it hanging. I hate it when good stories aren't finished and I won't be one of those authors. It may take a while, and there may be some bumps, but it will happen. Now, as for the alchemy bit, I'm making a bit of a play off of Full Metal Alchemist. Just part of the ideas, not completely. More detail on that later in.

Anyways, had to rant a little. I hope you guys enjoyed. Don't forget to review!


	24. Into The Fray

Summary

In the midst of searching for Kagome and her party, Rukia and Byakuya meet up with someone that seems to know Kagome even better than Miroku and Sango...

A/N: Oh, I have been waiting for this little plot twist ever since it came around and bit me one afternoon a few months ago. I hope you guys really enjoy this and you can figure out who this is, even if I'm not being too obvious about it. I'm being purposely obtuse and vague in the beginning, by the way. Picks up directly where Resolution ended.

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The stunned silence filled the air for a few moments as the two siblings stared at the sword laying oh so innocently across his desk. Byakuya knew without having to check that the blade was Kagome's.

"Nii-sama... What do we do?" Rukia breathed out quietly, violet eyes wide as she watched her brother slowly approach his desk and pick up the Zanpakuto. If she hadn't been watching him for a reaction of any kind, she wouldn't have noticed the way his hand trembled just slightly. The blade pulsed weakly, begging to be reunited with its' master.

Byakuya grit his teeth and deftly slipped the much smaller Zanpakuto next to Senbonzakura, briefly connecting with his blade and giving it the repsonsibility to take care of the fragile piece of Kagome's soul. Turning, he gave Rukia a determined icy look and swept out the door.

"We find her. And we tell no one."

The younger Kuchiki scrambled to follow and keep up with the Captain's pace as he quickly left his barracks and started in a random direction.

"But, where do we start? How can we find her if we can't even sense her at this point?" Rukia asked, adujsting her shihakusho and securing her Zanpakuto when it started to slip from her belt. She still wasn't completely used to its' weight again, and in the time she'd been resting, she'd lost some weight. It was something that she'd easily be able to correct with time, but right now she was more concerned about her brother. Even with the stoic expression firmly in place, his reiatsu snapped angrily around, ready to fly off the handle the moment he lost it.

"... We will start by trying to find her friends. That woman from Squad 11 will be our first encounter, seeing as the monk has disappeared with Higurashi."

"Byakuya! Rukia!" The Kuchiki nobles turned at the sound of their names and let Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku catch up with them. Ukitake gave them a grim smile and immediately started in to what he wanted to say. "Shunsui and I... We think we may have found the one that sealed away Kagome's powers."

"You did?! This is good! We can get them to unseal her then when we tell them she's..." Rukia started excitedly, tapering off suddenly and looking away. The other two older Captains exchanged glances at that.

"She's worse off than she let on, isn't she," Kyoraku claimed, receiving a wide-eyed reaction from the small shinigami, "I suspected as much. After all, a priestess's soul is usually connected to their powers. It would make sense that with them draining away, it's slowly destroying her soul as well." Ukitake looked stunned at the thought, paling quickly and snapping his gaze to Byakuya. When he didn't receive a reaction from the younger man, green eyes narrowed sharply.

"You knew..."

"Only recently. She was ill one night and delerious when she let it slip. I believe that if she hadn't told me then, she would have never mentioned it," Byakuya murmured, his fists clenching at his sides. "We may have a lead. There is a woman in Squad 11 that knows Higurashi from back when she was alive that will likely be able to help us find her."

"Kagome-san... What, exactly, do you know about her past?" Ukitake asked, tilting his head slightly and not failing to notice that a smaller Zanpakuto that didn't belong to the Kuchiki head was secured at his hip.

"What do you know, Captain?" Rukia countered, starting in the direction of her brother when he set off again, assumingly towards the Rukongai.

"Rin knew her in their lifetime, so I know enough. When she told me who Kagome-san was, I did my own research," the white-haired Captain replied, following the Kuchiki siblings. Kyoraku shrugged his shoulders when the only unseated member of the group directed her attention to him.

"I knew who she was the minute I saw her. Nanao grew up reading her story to me almost constantly, so I recognized her from the few portraits there were. Of course, the original Shikon Priestess was named Kikyo, so I assume that Kagome is her reincarnation, as mentioned in the story."

"Who was it that sealed Higurashi," Byakuya demanded quietly. He wanted to get it out in the open now so he could make the fool pay for hurting his innocent subordinate.

"It's..." Ukitake started, trailing off and giving his closest friend a pained look. Kyoraku shrugged and decided to continue.

"You're not going to like it."

"I'm going to enjoy ripping whoever it is to shreds," Rukia growled, glaring into the distance and turning her attention back to the three Captains.

Kyoraku spoke and the younger noble lost the color in her face.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

There was a disturbance in the air. One that was becoming bothersome.

Glancing at the unread returned missive, the figure huffed out a breath and stood, strapping a blade on and giving a terse look to the other person in the room.

"You're leaving?" A rather plump woman asked, raising a brow in consternation.

The figure nodded and exited without a word. It was probably time to check up on that little investment that had cropped up ten years ago. After all, honor determined repayment.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"This is where you came into the Soul Society?" Tsubaki asked, a hint of disdain in her tone. Kagome sighed inwardly and resisted the urge to glare at the dark priestess.

"Yes. This is where I woke up. I later stumbled into the residential area and was taken in by a couple of people." Looking around the clearing of wildflowers brought back nostalgic memories. Her first few days in Rukongai had been fuzzy and confusing, but once she'd understood what had transpired, she'd realized that moping would do nothing and had adapted to her circumstances. After living with being on the run from demons, it was almost the only way she knew how to live.

"Hmm. It's not ideal, but we can work with it," the white-haired woman finally decided, turning to the three males in their group, "You three, start pulling up flowers. We're going to need ground space." Kohaku, Miroku, and Kagewaki glanced at eachother before the monk of the group shrugged and reached down to start pulling. He was going to be filthy by the time this was through.

"Should I-!"

"No," Tsubaki cut Kagome off, turning to her and giving her a sharp look, "You need to meditate and prepare yourself. Center your mind and what's left of your powers for the task ahead."

"O-Oh. Okay." Watching the younger priestess move away, Tsubaki glanced at Kaede.

"You will need to help me mix the spell. It's similar to making remedies, so there shouldn't be a difficulty."

"... Very well. Ye are sure there is no other way?" the oldest member in their group asked, pinning Tsubaki with a look so severe she was tempted to shudder.

"I wouldn't be doing this if there was. The balance has to be restored. Surely you agree?"

"Aye. But this..."

"A test for her, then. As long as her will to live doesn't falter, we shouldn't have any problems." Both women slid their gazes over to Kagome as she took a few deep breaths and tried to center herself.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Tracking Kagome's spiritual presence was near impossible, but when Byakuya honed in on Miroku's unique reiatsu, the path became easy to follow. It helped that both Kyoraku and Ukitake had come into frequent contact with the man as well. The three Captains arrived in rather short time at a small home on the outskirts of the 10th District in the Rukongai, an area that was not necessarily weathy, but still much more reputable than say, the Zaraki District.

The small building was not housing his AWOL subordinate, but Byakuya did find a note with Kagome's hurried scrawl messily outlining their plan. The noble crumbled the note tightly in his fist to restrain the urge to start shouting, which was something he hadn't done in a long time, and resolved to make sure the errant priestess got an earful after he dragged her home.

_'Probably kicking and screaming the whole way.'_ Stowing the note carefully up his sleeve, he feigned ignorance when Kyoraku and Ukitake returned to the room he'd been searching. He really didn't want to let them know how bad the situation had just become. He'd let Rukia in on it later, though.

"Anything?" the white-haired Captain asked.

"Nothing." Byakuya shook his head, all the while wondering what the process of an alchemic summoning involved. Most likely something dangerous, considering it had to do with Kagome.

"Nope." Kyoraku came up empty as well.

The three men exited the hut to rejoin Rukia outside, inquiring if she'd found anything. With a shake of her head, she took her place next to her brother and Kyoraku sighed. "So, we have nothing to go on. And their trail ends here, because someone wised up and started erasing energy signatures." With a glance at his oldest friend, the brunette murmured, "I think it will be best if Jushiro and I head back and ask Captain Soi Fon for some assistance."

"Bad as I hate to say it, I believe that is our only option at this point," Ukitake replied, trailing his gaze to the youngest nobles in the group, "I'm sorry, Byakuya, Rukia, but we're going to have to report Kagome-san."

"Couldn't we wait just a little longer, Captain Ukitake?" Rukia pleaded quietly. Ukitake shook his head.

"We've waited longer than we should have."

Byakuya opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the barely there disturbance of a new presence. He blinked, and quite suddenly there was a woman standing in front of the door to the hut. Even Kyoraku and Ukitake jumped, skidding back and automatically resting hands on the hilts of their blades. Byakuya had already drawn his, preparing for... something as he concealed his sister from possible threat. He wasn't sure what though.

Just as the woman was about to put her hand on the door, Ukitake cleared his throat.

"Excuse me? May I ask which squad sent you here?" She stopped, then glanced back to face the other shinigami, swirling dark brown eyes piercing them with their intensity. Rukia thought the odd four-point mark above her brow seemed fitting, though it would have been out of place on any other person.

"No squad sent me. I came of my own violation," the woman responded in a tone of voice that was commanding. She was a woman that was used to being obeyed. "You do not belong here, Captains of the Court Guard. This does not concern you."

"It does when it involves one of my subordinates. State your name and Squad, soldier," Bykuya demanded, lifting his chin arrogantly and narrowing his eyes sharply at the woman that turned fully to face them.

"My name is of no concern to you, nor is my Squad, but I will sate your curiosity and inform you that matters involving one Kagome Higurashi now fall under my jurisdiction."

Rukia stared at the woman, violet eyes wide in surprise before a thought hit her. "Are you from Central 46, then?"

The woman almost started as though she'd just noticed the other female. Upon closer inspection, the serious look on her face softened minutely and she turned fully to face the group, approaching Rukia almost hesitantly. "I see. The connection Kagome-chan has formed with you is surprisingly strong. Yet she has not known you for long, Rukia Kuchiki-san."

Violet eyes blinked slowly, "It is? You can see that?"

"I can. But then, I suppose Kagome-chan has always been that way." At the odd expressions on their faces, the woman elaborated, "She seems to make friends wherever she goes no matter their circumstance."

Byakuya's mind flashed to several of the people he'd met recently that Kagome had made aquaintances out of and he had to agree inwardly. But this unknown woman... somehow she knew the little priestess well enough to understand that concept. _'Is she yet another person she knew in her lifetime? Where do these people keep coming from?'_

"I apologize, but you still have not answered our question of who you are," Ukitake interrupted, gaining a blank stare from the woman.

"And it shall remain unanswered for the time being. I haven't the patience to explain myself at the moment," she replied coolly, giving a disinterested look back at the hut, "Kagome-chan's life is in danger, and I must find a way to aid her."

"I see. Captain Kyoraku and I are about to head back to the Seiretei to file a missing persons' report. Perhaps, if the three of you can find Kagome-san before we have to, it would settle a few concerned party's nerves."

The woman understood the message clearly enough and nodded, not bothering to watch the exchange as the two Captains left. She eyed the Kuchiki siblings with something akin to curiosity glimmering in her eyes, noting the protective way Byakuya unobtrusively hovered near his sister.

"You both have deep connections with Kagome-chan."

"How did you meet Kagome?" Rukia asked, "Was it here, or when she was alive?"

"I have known Kagome since the moment she was born, little shinigami," their mysterious companion replied.

"Then, you know of what she experienced," the older noble in the group stated coldly.

"I do. I know very well what she went through in her lifetime. I also understand that her powers have been sealed away, though I only recently came across such information. Had I been informed earlier, things would not have become so grave. Kagome-chan was meant to have a peaceful life once her task was complete, however, she selflessly sacrificed her own life to save her little brother. It was a moment in Fate that not even I could have forseen." The woman shook her head and the melancholy air around her disappeared. "Nevermind that. We will talk more once this disaster has been cared for. Do you have any leads at all?"

"I know Kagome has a friend named Sango that is in Squad 11. As far as I know, she's still at her barracks," Rukia responded immediately, "Perhaps she has some information?"

"It would be prudent to ask for her assistance then," the other woman nodded, glancing briefly at Byakuya. When the other noble agreed silently, Rukia started back in the direction of the Seiretei.

"Rukia." The small shingami glanced back at her sibling. "Be careful. Follow my reiatsu when you find Higurashi's friend. I will keep my prescence detectable for you."

"Thank you, Nii-sama." With those parting words, the younger noble took off in a quick sprint, leaving the unknown woman with her brother.

"Is there anything else that we can follow?"

"Do you plan to inform me of your name at any point in this venture," Byakuya prodded. She ignored his question and continued to stare him down with hardened brown eyes. The noble huffed quietly and passed her the note he'd found. The longer she read, though, the more her cold exterior began to fade. When she stared back up at him, there was a noticable panic in her countenance.

"You cannot be serious! They really intend to use alchemy?!" she hissed.

"I do not pretend to know the effects of such an idea, but if it is as foolish as you seem to believe, then I will agree that they must be stopped."

"Alchemy involves the sacrifice of the soul if it fails. Of course it is foolish!" the woman declared, brown eyes taking on a determined, if worried, glint. "I owe much to Kagome-chan. Without her help, I am positive that I would not be here." She disappeared suddenly and reappeared several rooftops away. Byakuya glanced at the direction his sister went for a moment longer, then unraveled a part of his spiritual pressure for her to pick up on.

"We must move swiftly. I fear if we do not reach them in time to stop the process, it will be too late for even me to do anything." With a tilt of his chin, the Kuchiki head was next to her, giving her a frigid glare.

"I want your name and how you are connected to Kagome before we move any further." Even those hard brown eyes glanced away after a moment.

"I'll tell you on the way," with an unreadable expression, the woman took off, black sleeves fluttering in the wind. Byakuya followed in annoyance, easily keeping up with her pace.

"How do you know where to go?" It was a genuine curiosity, one that he needed answered.

"I have a connection with Kagome-chan also. One that cannot be broken by even death."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"It's finished." Kagome's eyes popped open and she jumped to her feet. With a glance at Tsubaki, she followed the other priestess to the intricate circle that had been carved into the ground with a silver knife. It didn't look like much of anything and she stated as much. The dark priestess gave her an annoyed glare before grabbing one of her hands.

"It will not be anything more than a pretty design until your blood is mixed with it. Then, the magic will be activated," the white-haired woman responded, handing the knofe to Kagome and shoving the smaller woman into the circle. "Stand in the middle, and when your ready, invoke what little magic you have left."

Kagome blinked lethargically, blue eyes staring around the circle at her friends that watched her. "... I'm scared."

Miroku bit the inside of his cheek. "Then let's find another way. Kagome, you understand the consequences of what will happen if this fails."

"If I don't do something, I'm dead either way, aren't I?" she answered after a moment of thought. Those violet eyes that she'd come to depend on for her moments of logic hardened as the monk nodded. "Then, I don't really have a choice. Scared or not, I've got to try."

"Once ye invoke thine powers, we cannot interfer, Kagome," Kaede, spoke up quietly, "Ye must fight alone."

Kagome closed her eyes and felt the crackle of her powers against her skin react to the hum in the air. She knew what she had to do. Opening blue eyes, she gave them all a bright smile.

"Well, since when have I done things the easy way? I'm not going to start now." With a flip of the blade, she ignored the urge to wince and cut into her palm, turning it face down and letting her blood drip onto the design in the middle that she was standing on.

"One last thing," Tsubaki murmured, causing everyone to turn their attention to her, "If you fail, it will cost you your soul. You will never be allowed into the reincarnation cycle again. You will cease to exist completely."

The color drained from Kagome's face and she pulled her palm back to herself as the others broke out into varying states of distress. It was too late; there were sparks already dancing around her form as Miroku was pushed away when he tried to reach out for her. A flash of spiritual pressure that she was comepletely familiar with caused her to glance up in time to see a woman leaping at her before the barrier rose up completely to block her out.

Her shock was complete when she saw Byakuya. Meeting his gaze, she murmued his name before her vision was cut off and everything faded to black.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A/N: Aaaaand ANOTHER CLIFFY!

This chapter gave me fits for the longest time! Seriously! It would not come together for me! I had to alter what I had in order to spit this out! But, I'm actually satisfied with what I've got here, so I hope you all enjoyed this!

Okay! I've been extremely busy in the real world, so there is are a couple of reasons for why this is so late. One, mom had to have two more back surgeries within a month of eachother. Two, she has found out that she has Degenerative Disc Disease, so this may not be the last one, but we can only hope. So, if any of you feel the urge to, please keep her in your prayers, because that's about the only thing keep our family over here sane at the moment. Three, my little baby boy turned one this month, so I was very bust planning his wonderful party. I made him a smash cake. He really dove into it. Oh! It was a delight to watch him chomp into that cake. Unfortunately, I've created a sweet monster. He wants chocolate constantly now. And he knows if the hubby and I are eating it. He gets so mad! Four, and this is exciting news, we're getting things packed up to move in August. We've got a plan for a house going on soon, so I'm thrilled about that.

Anyways, as you guys can see, lots of stuff going on. I do, however, want to let you guys know that no matter how long it takes me, I'll be plugging away to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. So, Thank you so much for your patience because it's been so greatly appreciated. Please review, and I hope you all enjoyed!

See you soon! Lots of love!


	25. Personal Hero

Summary

She was going to have to be her own hero this time...

A/N: And here we go! I have been waiting for this moment for a long freakin' time now! But then, the plot would have been rushed if I had just done this sooner. I hope you guys can understand that. Sorry about how long everything took. Okay! Enough blabbering! Go read! Picks up directly where the last chapter left off.

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"Don't-!" the woman shouted, leaping towards the group that glanced up in varying states of shock. A roar surrounded Kagome as a barrier burst into life, gleaming red and black as it pulsed out. It threw everyone out of the way and caused the newcomer charging in to rebound almost painfully off of it. Byakuya absently helped the woman right herself as he watched his subordinate's blue eyes round in surprise when her gaze jumped from him to the woman. Her mouth formed words but he couldn't hear what she said. He could, however, make out when she tried to address him.

She looked unbelievably frightened, and that made his heart clench in protectiveness. He was supposed to be there for her! The barrier pulsed and darkened, hiding Kagome from view.

"Drop the barrier! I can fix this!" the woman snapped, glaring first at Miroku, whom recoiled visibly, then at the old woman that shook her head. It was another woman with long white hair and dark robes that answered her.

"We can't. You know how alchemy is. We can no more stop it than help it at this point, My Lady," she declared, shuffling forward a couple of steps and meeting their gazes fearlessly. "It is completely up to her now. She must have the will to survive, or she will fall and fade away."

"Tsubaki... Did you tell them to do this?"

The white-haired woman sniffed and turned away. "I may have been dark, but I was never strong enough to turn to the forbidden arts of alchemy. In that, perhaps you should ask the man that was so deeply entrenched in Naraku's schemes." All eyes turned to Kagewaki. Byakuya inwardly railed; as soon as this was over and Kagome was safe and sound, he was going to kill that man!

"I didn't realize it would sacrifice her own soul!" Kagewaki begged, cowed by the woman's fierce glare, "I only wanted to help Kagome-sama! Why would I try to kill the woman that literally saved my soul!"

"Lady Mid-!"

"Nii-sama! What's going on here?" Rukia chose that moment to appear at his side, a wide-eyed Sango stumbling after her. The former slayer kept going and stopped when she was almost right up against the barrier, clenching her fists as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Is Kagome in there?" the brunette hissed, instinctively reaching for her Zanpakuto. A hand on her arm finally snapped Sango out of her senses and she did a double take when she focused on the woman next to her. "Midoriko-sama? How-! What are... What are you doing here?"

"I was checking up on Kagome and found out her situation," the shinigami woman murmured, leveling a glare at the group responsible for putting the priestess in so much danger. "Had I known it was so dire, I would have intervened much sooner."

"This is no time to start blaming everyone," Rukia demanded, violet eyes flashing angrily as she stormed over to the barrier surrounding Kaogme, "What is important is to break down this barrier."

"It cannot be done," Tsubaki snapped, dark eyes glowering fiercely at the young noble. Rukia glared at the woman and opened her mouth to retort. Midoriko's hand on her arm stopped her.

"She's right," the older woman sighed, glancing at the black dome with a sad expression, "It is out of our hands now. Only Kagome can break it by destroying the seal."

"So what?! We wait?" Sango cried. Byakuya surveyed the other individuals around him and nodded when Rukia directed her imploring gaze at him. The two Kuchiki siblings made their way over to a clear spot and sat down.

"That's all we can do," Miroku murmured, glancing sadly at the barrier before holding out a hand for Sango to take. She angrily brushed it off and went to where her little brother was. And though the gesture made his heart ache, it wasn't as bad as it used to be when Rukia called him over to them.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A groan passed through her lips as her eyes fluttered open. Everything hurt! Gritting her teeth, Kagome raised herself up into a sitting position, resisting the urge to cry out.

"Why do I hurt so much?" Focusing her gaze, the priestess sucked in a breath as she stared. All around her was nothing but darkness. The only source of light came from a pillar of dim light surrounded by a circled of flames, an incantation circle of kanji glowing golden, and a blue four-point pyramid. The former time traveler surveyed the seal that had been placed on her powers, seeing the intricacy for the first time. Geez, no wonder Miroku had told her to meditate.

"I know what the pyramid is. That looks like _Tozanshou_. But the others... I've never even seen either of these." Taking a few steps closer, she reached out to touch the blue barrier, flinching back when golden sparks flared up to deter her. Looking down at her hand and wincing at the redness surrounding it, the former time traveler glared and stubbornly jutted her chin out. "All right, then. If that's how it's going to be, then I'll just have to rip it down."

Closing her eyes, Kagome gathered the last of her soul's strength and prepared herself, sending one final prayer up.

_'Please, one last time. Give me strength, Inuyasha.'_ Snapping her eyes open, she charged with a battle cry.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Pale lids slid open, revealing golden amber eyes with cat-like pupils. Lifting his head, his silver ears twitched in preparation as a shiver skated down his spine. Someone was thinking about him, of that he had no doubt. Rising up on his feet, he dusted off his red hakama and rolled his shoulders, a cascade of long silver hair flowing down his back.

A rattling noise disturbed the charged silence and he glanced down at his hip in surprise.

"Huh? What's up? You sense it too?" The blade at his side pulsed like a heartbeat, the rattling starting to make his teeth jarr, and he removed the sword from its' scabbard to stare at the dormant fang. The fang of his father.

"What is it, Tessaiga? What's got you so worked up?" In a flash of sudden understanding, he let the blade drop from his hands and watching it burst into a bright shower of red sparks, disappearing from his side.

"Right. I get it now. We're still connected. She **did** pull you from the old man's grave, after all."

Raising his golden eyes to the bloody sky, he grit his teeth and stuck out his chin.

"You better not be doing something stupid, Kagome. It's the only reason Tessaiga would try to go to you."

_"One last time, give me strength, Inuyasha."_ He swore he could hear her voice drifting on the deadened winds of Hell, and he took up his place pacing the Gate once again.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

It didn't take as long as they all thought. The resounding sound of cracking glass in the air had everyone on their feet and watching the blackened barrier with bated breath. Byakuya was absolutely still, his sister quivering next to him when the next crack rang out like a gunshot.

Suddenly, the entire barrier shattered, kicking up dust all around. The Captain could hear several coughs and alarmed reassurances, but his entire being was fixated on the shadow slowly taking shape in the center of the dust cloud. When it settled, no one was prepared for what was revealed.

Kagome stood as tall as her petite frame allowed in her white yukata with her head ducked and her long bangs hiding her face, ancient spiked armor decorating her slim shoulders and arms, a spiked chest plate covering her front. Additional armor draped down in the front, sides, and back, and a white fur was draped down her back to resemble a cape. Her hair was in it's usual tail and contrasted starkly with the white. In her hand was an enormous curved blade with a furred hilt, crackling with dark red and golden energy A blade that definitely didn't belong to her.

"Look," Sango gasped when she stumbled over to her former love, shaking Miroku's arms roughly and pointing. The monk didn't need her to gestulate, though, because he damn well recognized **that** fang.

"That's Tessaiga... But what's Kagome-sama doing with it? I thought it was Inuyasha's?" Miroku murmured faintly, dizzy from the amount of spritual pressure coming off of the tiny woman. Was this really their Kagome? The real Kagome?

"She looks like Sesshomaru with that armor," Sango countered softly before shaking her head, "but isn't that the Inu no Taisho's armor?"

Byakuya filed their conversation away for dissection later. Right now, he was trying to simply breathe through the pressure being put on his soul. _'Is __**this**__ what her power was supposed to feel like? I can barely catch my breath.'_ Rukia dropped to her knees, unable to keep upright and breathing hard.

"Ka-Kagome?" Rukia whispered. Kagome's gaze snapped in the small noble's direction, and glassy golden eyes faded to familiar blue, the jagged blue stripe painting each of her cheeks peeling away as though is was being washed off by the wind. The armor disintegrated into tiny pieces, drifting off in the air, the fur fading before their very eyes. In the end, she was left in her yukata once more, the unbearable pressure in the air disappearing as her appearance became typical again.

The only thing left was the gigantic blade in her palm, pulsing red and gold. Raising the fang in the air, she gave it a soft smile and let it drop. "Thank you for your help, but you better head back to Inuyasha. I'm sure he misses you." It faded, leaving nothing in its' wake. Then, she turned that tired but satisfied smile onto the group of people around her.

"It's done. I'm free now."

It was as though the spell holding them in their places broke and the priestess was flooded with hugs and tears all around, being passed from one emotional person to another. Byakuya and Midoriko chose to wait until the rest of them had gotten their fill of the young woman. Rukia, on the other hand, barreled right in there with everyone else, squeezing the breath out of the woman that had become something of a best friend to her. Somehow, they were all giddy and laughing, thankful that the darkness was finally over. Tsubaki scoffed on the outside of the pile and turned, disappearing into the forest. Her job was done and the balance was restored. Now, she could put her past behind her and finally move on. Midoriko watched the dark priestess slip away and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You looked so incredible! I couldn't even believe it was you!" Rukia was babbling in Kagome's ear, an excited gleam in her violet eyes. She and the priestess were swept into a hug by Miroku, both women squealing and bashing him upside the head when he went in for a free grope. "How did you change your appearance so?"

"Well... I was channeling someone, actually," Kagome admitted, grinning sheepishly and rubbing the back of her head. "See, that blade belonged to the Inu no Taisho, and a part of him still resides in it. I was able to connect with that part and he gave me an extra boost in order to break down that barrier."

_She was thrown to her back, pain searing through her body as she tried to stand. She was just too weak, damn it! She couldn't even make a dent and break down the Tozanshou! _

_"Why! Why do I always have to be so useless!" she screamed, pounding her fists in the darkness, tears building in her eyes. She had the will, but she just didn't have the strength to back it up. _

_Her gaze snapped up when she felt a pulse. A familiar pulse that sent tremors down her entire body. It couldn't be! The priestess blinked, and between one heartbeat and the next, she was no longer alone. The man kneeling in front of her looked so achingly similar to his sons that the nostalgia choked any words she could have spoken. _

_"My son, he heard your call, and though he cannot come to your aid this time, I may be of some assistance. You, who pulled my fang from me when my proud sons could not." _

_"Inu no Taisho-sama," Kagome whispered, awestruck by the demon crowding around her. He was huge, even in human form! "I need to go back. I have to. I can't let them down." _

_"I once asked Sesshomaru, and now I will ask you, little one. Do you have something to protect," the silver male murmured, a predatory glint in his golden eyes. The former time traveler stopped and thought, truly thought, about what his words meant. Flashes of all of her friends whizzed by, and she stared up at him with strong proud blue eyes and a determined pout on her face. _

_"Yes. I do." _

_He smiled, all teeth and arrogance, and rose to his feet, reaching out a hand to help her up. "Then let us see if you can grasp my fang, little warrior."_

"But how did you manage to get Tessaiga?" Sango spluttered, gobsmacked that **the** Inu no Taisho had actually lended a hand to her friend.

"Inuyasha sent it to me when I asked him to give me strength."

"Ye can communicate with yon friend," Kaede asked, looking confused.

"No, but I like to think that he felt me calling for him." Taking a deep cleansing breath, she looked up at the sky and wondered if it had always looked so vibrant. Then, she finally gathered the courage to look over at her Captain. Those steely eyes were watching her very closely, notating every movement she made, every breath she took. She wasn't used to how intense his full attention was and she flushed, lowering her eyes. It seemed to be a cue, because her friends were backing off and giving her some space as the Captain made his way towards her, the former host of the Jewel following in his wake with a peculiar emotion swirling in her eyes.

"How are you feeling, Higurashi," the noble actually asked, considering the circumstances.

"Well, tired. And run down. Like I could sleep for a couple of weeks," Kagome answered, locking her attention back on him and giving him a smile that he was sure was meant only for him. It made his heart flop in a disconcerting way.

"Good. Because you are getting the lecture of a lifetime when we return to the Seiretei," he finished, reveling in the wince she portrayed. And once he was done lecturing her, he was going to lock her up in the Kuchiki Manor so she couldn't do something so **stupid** ever again.

"Kagome-chan? Lift your hands for a moment," Midoriko finally spoke, her brows furrowing and a sad look crossing her face. Kagome did as she asked and gasped.

Her hands were transparent.

"What's going on?" Miroku demanded, taking one of her hands and poking it experimentally. It was odd to see the tip of his finger go through her hand with only a little resistance and she snatched it back in a panic. Byakuya had stopped in front of her at that point, reaching out and laying his palm on her cheek. It was warm, but she couldn't feel the sensation as strongly as she usually did.

"Nii-sama? What's happening?" Rukia stared up at him with imploring violet eyes. The Captain absolutely did **not** want to believe what he was seeing, but the proof was right there.

"I had to use everything I had left to attempt to break the seal down. Even then, it wasn't enough," Kagome murmured, lowering her head in shame. She knew what would come next and she didn't want to see everyone's reactions.

"How badly did you damage your soul," the older priestess asked in a sad voice.

"... Really bad."

"Kagome?" Sango choked out, her eyes filling with tears.

"What... What's going on?!" Rukia asked again, reaching out and grasping Kagome's sleeve. It too was starting to fade.

"It can't sustain you in this form anymore, can it," Miroku deduced, clenching his teeth in agony. The blue-eyed woman shook her head slowly.

"What does that mean?" Kagewaki whispered hoarsely from the back. He was the only one brave enough to voice the question. Byakuya glared at the ground and fisted his hands tightly. How could he have failed this woman so badly?

"It means she'll disappear," the creator of the Jewel of Four Souls answered in a hard tone, glaring at the former shogun. "Forever."

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A/N: Now guys, there is a reason I chose to end it here. Because the next chapter is going to be just as dramatic, and I don't want to give anyone too many heart attacks in one go around. Anyways, I am so sorry about how long it took me to get this finished. It's been soooo slow for me here and my Writer's Block has been such a bitch recently! It's driving me crazy!

But, I hope you all enjoyed this update and that I'll see you soon. Please feel free to spam my email box with reviews!


	26. Renewal of Spirit

Summary

In wake of the circumstances, it was only natural that he panicked... just a little.

A/N: Ahahaha! I have returned! The next chapter is now upon us. I know you guys wanna strangle me, so I'll cut my ranting short and just let you get to the reading!

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The group around Kagome were in varying states of shock at Midoriko's blunt statement, the thought that their friend would disappear in just a few short minutes tearing down the happy high they had just been on.

"Forever?" Sango whimpered, letting her tears fall. Kohaku was in much the same condition as she turned and hugged the boy close.

"I can't see any way to fix it. There's nothing left of Kagome's soul that isn't damaged," the older priestess ground out, a glimmer of sadness still in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kagome."

Kagome shook her head slowly and smiled at her. "It's not your fault. I counteracted the alchemic spell, so I'll eventually be reborn. Maybe then, I'll be able to live a normal life like I wanted to."

"That's not fair! You broke the seal!" Rukia retorted hotly, violet eyes flashing in fury. Turning to her brother, she grasped his sleeve and tugged. "Isn't there **anything** we can do, Nii-sama?"

Byakuya didn't answer. He was busy going through everything that everyone had said just now. There **had** to be a loophole! Something he could just **try**!

"Unless she has a piece of her soul roaming around somewhere that can fix it, there's nothing," Midoriko countered just as emotionally. "And that would be impossible considering when Kikyo died the second time, her soul was reabsorbed back into Kagome's! I would have sensed something by now. Her entire soul is **here**!"

It hit him in the next second. He knew that what he was about to do was risky, but he damn well couldn't just sit here and watch her slip from his grasp!

"It's okay, Rukia," Kagome blurted out, placing her hands on the small shinigami's shoulders. She smiled, her lower lip trembling as tears gathered in her eyes. "Maybe it's just better this way. My existence here is so screwed up, it might be nice to have a fresh start." The tears spilled over, dripping down her face for the first time in ten years. It didn't matter now that they were seeing them. "Who knows, I might even get lucky and be able to see or sense you guys."

The older noble grit his teeth as his hands shook. Kagome had **never** cried in front of them. As far as he knew, she never cried period. To see those tears now, though, it made him panic.

The fading priestess turned to him finally, a smile wobbling onto her face. She didn't even bother to wipe away the trails of water flowing down her cheeks. He knew she was going to try to give him some ridiculous last minute advice.

"Take care of yourself, Captain. Don't stress yourself out so much about work. And try to enjoy life a little. All work and no play makes Captain Kuchiki kinda dull, right?" She let out a watery laugh that made his heart clench. She became completely serious in the next heartbeat. "I know it might be stupid of me to ask, but make sure to check in on Miroku and Sango from time to time. They need the reassurance. And tell Captain Zaraki that I'm not going to be able to take him up on a fight."

He couldn't let her leave. Not like this.

"You are not going anywhere, Higurashi. I will make certain of that." His tone was firm and left no room for argument.

Kagome swallowed heavily when Byakuya withdrew the blade at his side and gripped it tightly in his hand. The entire time, he never let his gaze waver from the woman fading away before his eyes.

"W-What are you... What exactly do you mean?" the former school girl asked tenatively.

"I have a theory," the noble explainend, taking a step closer to her. Rukia gave her brother a confused look at his actions. She knew he was upset, but this was... odd. Even for him. Was he out of his **mind**?!

"A theory?"

"Yes. She," he cast a swift glacial glare to Midoriko, "says that your soul is not longer stable enough to contain your powers. That is the reason you're losing your form now. And that an undamaged piece of your soul was needed."

"Y-Yeah. So..."

"So your soul must be re-stabalized." With swift movements, he grabbed one of Kagome's arms and thrust the blade straight through her. Everyone gasped at the action as the priestess choked in shock, feeling the biting steel pierce completely through her... But...

_'It doesn't hurt?'_

Byakuya slowly let go of her arm and gently placed his hand behind her head to guide it to rest against his shoulder. "I am truly selfish, but I cannot lose you now."

"W-Why-"

"Kagome!"

"What the **hell** are you doing?!" Sango screamed, reaching for her own blade. She stumbled to a stop when Kohaku grabbed her arm.

"Nee-san... Look..."

Miroku froze in his place when he noted the way the blade was becoming more transparant while Kagome was becoming more solid again. "How is that... possible..."

Kagome glanced down at the hilt protruding from her chest and sucked in a breath when she realized she recognized the guard on it.

"Hotarubi..." Her gaze slid back up to meet understanding gray as Byakuya carefully monitored the pulse of her soul that was steadily growing beneath his fingers. Slowly he released the death grip he had on the smaller shinigami's Zanpakuto. "I see... now..."

"It has a connection to your soul. A piece of your own to give the rest of you the boost it needs."

"How clever, Capatain Kuchiki..." Kagome murmured, letting her tired eyes slide shut as that small piece of herself worked to restore the damage done to the rest of her. She was **so** tired. Exhausted even. She didn't notice the way her white clothing bled to black, her shihakusho pouring back over her, nor Midoriko's hands and powers gently probing her to monitor her progress. All that mattered to her at that moment was that she felt real and whole again. The warmth emanating from her Captain registered faintly and she smiled slightly.

_'He's always taking care of me. I should really find a way to pay him back soon.'_ It was her last thought before she slipped into unconsciousness and collapsed into Byakuya's waiting arms.

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The group of people waiting outside the infirmary room was by no means large, but there were certainly more visitors than was considered normal for one patient. Inside the room was another matter entirely. Two Captain class shinigami, one Lieutenant, one eighth seat, one civilian, one unseated officer, and one former priestess listened closely to the analysis that was being given for Kagome's current condition.

Retsu sighed quietly as she nodded to her Lieutenant, and the tall woman withdrew her reishi from the unconscious priestess. "Higurashi-san is currently in a coma. Due to the extreme amount of damage that was done to her soul, it may be quite some time before she'll wake again."

"How long would you say?" Miroku murmured, gently pushing his oldest friend's bangs aside absently. He wondered if the girl knew just how many people were worried about her.

"I cannot say because I do not know. These things are not always accurate. It could be tomorrow, a week, a month, even years from now. The only one who has the control to decide when is Kagome herself," Lieutenant Kotetsu sighed, feeling sorry for the civilian man. Sure, he was incredibly perverted, and had asked her to have his child, but this was a close friend of his that he was worried about.

"Then, all we can do is wait?" Sango asked, feeling frustrated at the lack of activity. Surely there was something she could do?

"Unfortunately, yes," The Captain of Squad 4 answered, giving everyone a tired smile, "But, just because she's in a coma does not mean there is no activity going on. I recommend regular visits to let her know what is going on from day to day. It might encourage her to heal faster."

Murmurs of agreement swept throughout the room, promises made for visits that wouldn't cross others. Byakuya merely stared at the sleeping woman and vowed to come see her as often as he could. He wasn't sure if it would be every day, and he felt a little awkward about just the idea of talking to her while she slept, but he was willing to make an effort.

But once she woke up, he was going to put some kind of a tracker on her and keep her close at all times. He never even considered the what ifs, because if he did, he would never be able to pull himself out of the despair they caused.

_'You will get better, Kagome, because we have much to discuss. Whatever this is between us, it is not over, and I refuse to let it go.'_

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A/N: YAYZ! Aren't you guys so proud of me?! I actually finished another chapter super quick! I'm on a roll here, so I'm going to keep working, because I'm afraid if I stop, I'll get stuck again. Oh! And for those of you that followed **Hot For Teacher**, I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be reworking the plot so I can repost on here! I'm super excited about that!

Hope you guys enjoyed and please feel free to leave a review!


	27. Carrying On

Summary

The Kuchiki siblings are beginning to truly understand what it means to not have Kagome's prescence in their lives. Then, Rukia gets the call to arms...

A/N: I really need to smack myself really good for being so damn late on this... Other than that, don't really have much to say other than moving the plot along. Something of a filler, but a necessary one. Enjoy!

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Life resumed normalcy for most everyone. At least, everyone that hadn't been, in some way, affected by Kagome's absence. Those that knew the priestess felt the loss. Had the woman been privy to how many visitors she got a day, she would have been shocked, and maybe a little embarrassed. Members from not just her own squad, but several others came by to murmur a few words of encouragement, some of them more often than others. Her room in the coma recovery ward was usually filled with flowers, small trinkets, and get well cards. Miroku had become surprisingly adapt at accepting the gifts for his friend.

Waving goodbye to the quirky blonde Lieutenant from Squad 10 and her small highly irritable Captain, the monk slid the door shut and began changing out the dried out bouquets around the room. Smiling to himself, the perverted man glanced at his sleeping friend and shook his head.

"My friend, you have, once again, managed to blow my mind. Just how many lives have you changed here? You have been visited by what I'm sure is nearly everyone in the Sereitei. I seem to meet a new face whenever I turn around." Reaching out, Miroku patted Kagome's hand and continued to babble about nothing in general.

It was a quiet day ultimately.

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The return to routine was especially difficult for the Kuchiki siblings.

_'Were things really this dull before I met Kagome?'_ Rukia wondered, slowly making her way to the wing of the Medical Ward the former school girl was situated in. There were rarely comatose patients in the squads, so the only other occupant she knew was there was Lieutenant Hinamori, whom was recovering from Aizen's betrayal. _'I wonder how Nii-sama is faring... I'm sure he's taking this especially hard.'_

If her brother had been considered cold before, he was downright frigid now. He didn't really speak to anyone, and he was usually in a foul mood when he had to. It had caused tensions in his squad to run high, and several members made sure to stop by and complain to the only female in their squad. Rukia sighed quietly to herself and absently nodded at Sango as they passed in the hallway.

After getting into Kagome's room and taking a seat, she started talking about her day and everything that had been going on recently. A few hours into her visit, the small noble sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"They're actually going to be sending me back to the World of the Living. Apparently there is a new type of Hollow making a ruckus in Karakura Town and Ichigo's going to need some actual help there. I won't be able to visit for a little while, Kagome." Reaching out, she touched the sleeping priestess's hand and smiled. "I really hope you wake up soon. We all miss you." A dark fluttering at the window made her glance up and hold out her hand to allow the Hell Butterfly to rest on her fingertips.

"... I see. I will report at the Senkaimon tomorrow morning, then. Thank you." This tiny creature rippled its' wings and left. After a moment of silence, Rukia stood up with a grim determination lining her features. "I'll see you soon, Kagome."

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Byakuya slid the door closed with a soft click, allowing his vision to adjust to the deepening shadows of the evening. It was after visiting hours, but he knew Captain Unohana understood his schedule perfectly well. Silent footfalls carried the Captain to the edge of the bed and he took a seat next to the quiet girl sleeping in the bed. A few moments later, he finally spoke.

"Rukia left this morning. It's quiet at the manor again." He received no response, though he wasn't expecting one either. "I hate it. I never realized how badly the solitude affected me." He gave Kagome a considering look, reaching out to brush his fingers through her bangs. "You've changed me. Or, perhaps, you fixed me. I no longer know." His hand trailed down her cheek, so still in sleep that it actually made him stop to check the pulse fluttering steadily under her chin to ensure she was breathing.

Taking a deep breath, the normally put-together noble put his head in his hands resorted to begging. No one would hear the desperation in his voice. "Please come back. Please... Wake up..."

Outside the door, Miroku clenched his fists as he stared up at the ceiling, unconsciously asking the same things.

_'Kagome... We need you.'_

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A/N: Guh! I don't know why this chapter gave me fits so badly. I swear I never meant to take this long. Everything's been so crazy in the real world, I just simply haven't had the time I've been needing to sit down and get this done. As I type, it's 12:30 in the morning where I am and I'm so exhausted. Anyways, sorry about the shortness, but that's about all there is for this one. Next chapter will hopefully be up soon. Bear with me guys.

Also, I'm thinking of doing a little extra aside. An amusing one where Kagome tells the story about the first bar fight she got into. I don't know, just babbling at this point. Okay! Sleep! Me! Now!

Reviews and comments are always welcome. Thanks!


	28. Drawing Sides

Summary

The war finally begins to make precedence, and Byakuya begins preparations for battle. A last minute visit to Kagome is in order...

A/N: Ahh, time for the actual plot of Bleach to move along. And for this story too! I hope you guys enjoy! Sorry about how long it took to get this out there. There is actually a valid reason other than procrastination this time.

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Letting loose a calming breath, Byakuya threw himself into another kata as he continued to wait for news from Rukia. She'd been gone for almost two months now, and he deliberately put himself to work anywhere he could to keep the solitude at bay. It was ironic. Not so long ago, he'd been aggravated at everything; but now, he was ready for the war to be over.

The Soul Society was in a heightened state of security, meaning those of Kagome's friends whom were not shinigami were not allowed into the Sereitei. Miroku had made a temporary move into the Rukongai district that Kaede lived in by the Head Captain's request.

And request had been the nicest way to put it, too. The monk had practically been hauled out and tossed into the streets before the gates had been slammed shut in his face. Despite the separation, the Kuchiki head had made something of an effort to ensure Kagome's friends were safe and taken care of.

A tingling awareness shot through the Captain's system and he glanced to the side. A tiny black butterfly was fluttering its' way over to him and he straightened, holding a hand out to allow it to land in his palm. After a few seconds, he nodded and sent it off.

"I understand. It shall be done." Taking a few breaths to calm his mind, Byakuya swung the practic shinai around and took the head off of the dummy that was set up nearby in disgust. "Though I can't fathom why the Head Captain would insist I retrieve the others with Zaraki, of all people."

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The retrieval had been a success, though the circumstances behind his sister's human friend's dissappearance and the call back for the shinigami were not lost on him. He knew that Rukia was entirely up in arms about the situation.

"Nii-sama! I really don't understand why we had to go back! Orihime is missing and we need to find her!"

"I was merely given the order to retrieve you. I was not informed on what your actions should be once you returned to the Soul Society," he countered as subtly as possible without giving himself away in front of his squad. Luckily, his little sister was an intelligent woman so he was relieved when she stared at him for a moment before smiling brightly.

"I understand, brother. Thank you."

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Sliding the door closed, Byakuya made his way over to his typical chair in the ward and took a seat. Breathing deeply, he let his gaze rest on the shadows and raised a brow.

"You are as predictable as ever, monk." A cough preceded Miroku as he came into the Captain's line of sight.

"I trust you understand my concern, Lord Kuchiki. After all, your Soul Society is under fire and my dear friend could be put in danger."

"It is not the Soul Society that is Aizen's target, but a spiritually rich city in the World of the Living called Karakura Town."

"Exactly what is this Aizen planning?" Miroku asked, taking a seat in the chair on the other side of Kagome's bed. He pretended not to notice the way the noble's hand automatically reached out to check the pulse in the comatose priestess's wrist then lace his fingers with hers.

"The annihilation of Karakura Town. He intends to create the Oukin, which will be able to transport him to the realm that the Soul King lives in. From there, I can only surmise that he means to eliminate the Soul King," Byakuya explained, absently surveying the numerous bouquets around the room.

"But, why?"

"That, I am not certain of."

"What if he finds out about Kagome?"

"I doubt he will waste the effort to alter whatever plans he has to include her. Incidentally, how did you manage to sneak back into the Seiretei?" the noble questioned, genuinely curious about the other man's answer.

"Ah, milord. That will be a story for another day," Miroku answered, rising to his feet and canting a respectful bow, "For now, I must take my leave. This humble monk has a little digging to do."

As Kagome's closest friend headed for the door, Byakuya managed to crack a parting shot, "I certainly hope your penchant for sneaking into places does not infect the rest of your motley group."

The monk merely smiled happily as he departed and the Captain sighed. He would probably see the others in a matter of time, so with determination, he carefully turned Kagome's mess of dark hair into a neat orderly braid, tying it off with the blue ribbon he'd taken from her in the very beginning of this strange dance they'd engaged in. The little slip of fabric had become something of a good fortune charm to him, so he was reluctant to part with it. But he knew that if he kept it on him before he headed into Hueco Mundo, Kagome would be the only thing on his mind.

He did not need that kind of a distraction at the moment.

"Do not think that I will not return for this particular ribbon. You still need to learn the Flash Step before I truly rescind ownership of it. You may, however, keep it safe for me until my imminent return from battle. I expect you to be closer to awakening by then, if not already so, Kagome. We have much to discuss."

Rising from his seat, the noble made his way out, definitely wanting to be away before Miroku managed to smuggle Kagome's Rukongai friends into the Medical Ward. It was something he was sure would aggravate Captain Unohana, whether she showed it or not.

_'Take care, Kagome. I will be back soon.'_

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A/N: Argghhhhh! I am sooooo sorry about the lateness you guys! As mentioned at the beginning, I do have an actual excuse. I was in a musical for all of October and November and I had a blast with it! I got to sing and dance like I haven't been able to in nearly ten years and it has rekindled my passion for the arts.

Also, mom has been having more issues again and I have the feeling she's going to have to go under the knife for another surgery. Again. This will be the fourth one in the last year or so, so please, if you do so, keep us in your prayers.

And, the last thing is my little family of three may be moving soon. It all depends on if the hubby manages to find a job in the area he wants to go in. So, it's been super busy recently. But I want to thank everyone for the continued encouragement you've all been giving me. Without you guys, this would just be collecting dust on my flash drive.

Anyways, my rant thingy is over now, so please feel free to review or leave a comment of some kind! Much love and thank you! See you guys sooner than you think!


	29. Dangerous Intentions

Summary

Kagewaki gets a suprise in the form of an unwelcome visitor...

A/N: Time for another update! This one will be a fairly small shot and running in another persons' perspective. I think it will definitely spark some curiosity. I also have an extremely important author's note at the end of this chapter. Hopefully it will explain a lot. Anyways, do enjoy!

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Ever since the ritual that had been performed to release the seal, Hitomi Kagewaki had felt guilty about endangering the one person he literally owed his soul to. In light of recent events, and with the Kuchiki siblings away and the rest of Soul Society in the middle of their war, the former shogun had taken to watching over Kagome as she continued to recover. The former time traveler still hadn't awakened yet, despite her now perfect health, and her friends were eager for the bright girl to rejoin them.

_'This way, at least I feel as though I'm doing something aside from waiting,'_ Kagewaki thought, roaming the secluded hallways of the recovery wing Kagome had been moved to. It was far enough from the rest of the ward to allow for privacy, but still close enough for emergencies. His watch was nearly over, and he was simply waiting for Miroku to come by and take over his shift. With all the chaos going on, it had been easy enough for them to slip back and forth to watch out for their comatose friend. After all, he wasn't going to trust much of anyone else.

Moving back in the direction of Kagome's room, he decided that he would stop in there again and speak with the comatose priestess before he left for the day. It didn't take him long to get there, but once he turned the corner of the hall that she was down, he froze in shock, then in horror as he recognized the man reaching out to open the girl's door.

_'How... How is it possible! He should have gone straight to hell with Naraku!'_ He had to do **something**! In retrospect, he should have thought a little more clearly over his next actions.

"Hold it right there!" Kagewaki snarled, pulling his katana from his side and holding it up in defense. "Visitors are strictly prohibited unless approved by Captain Unohana!" The man dropped his hand and glanced over at him, a dark smirk gracing his face.

"My, my. I never expected to see you again, Kagewaki. And certainly not in the Sereitei. Are they allowing the commonfolk to leak in now?"

"The same could be said for you as well, Onigumo!" the former shogun snapped, taking several steps forward, "What are you doing here! I heard you betrayed this world under the name of Sosuke Aizen!"

White eyes surrounded by purple sclera took on an amused glint as Aizen faced him fully. "I have attained a power beyond that which I took hold of when I lived. And this time, it is all my own." Kagewaki skidded to a stop and stared at the glow eminating from the former shinigami's chest.

"That thing... It's not the jewel..."

"No. I could not replicate the Shikon's powers in this world. Even then, such a thing would require great sacrifice on my part," Aizen murmured, an annoyed look dancing across his face briefly before he gave Kagewaki that smirk again. "Now, I do believe I have some unfinished business with Kagome. I suggest you turn around and walk away before you end up dead again, _my lord_." The last two words were said with a condescending tone so mocking that the former shogun growled something unintellegible under his breath and dove for the brunette across from him with his sword outstretched.

Aizen sighed inwardly and dodged the attack easily, unleashing a wave of his spiritual energy at the other man. The reishi collided with Kagewaki painfully, sending him crashing into the end of the corridor unconscious and bleeding from several gashes. The former shinigami shook his head and reached out again to the door he'd been looking for.

_'Always such a fool. Even now, you still cannot hope to defeat me.'_ The brunette ignored the slowly growing puddle of blood surrounding his feet and stepped inside, sliding the door shut quietly. In a few steps, he was at the side of the only other occupant in the room, hungrily devouring the picturesque moment.

Kagome continued to lay sleeping, her hands delicately crossed over her stomach and her long hair braided to stay out of her face. Even now, the longing, hearwrenching pang hit him after so long.

"Sleeping as you are, I can almost mistaken you for Kikyo... However, if I remember correctly, you disliked being compared to your predeccesor." It was strange, he thought, seeing her up close like this made her seem almost fragile to him. He still thought her beautiful, though, and it irked a tiny part of him that had sided with Naraku. "When I finish creating the Oukin, I will return for you. Then, you will help me create a new world. Kikyo or not, you will find yourself at my mercy, little priestess." With the idea in mind, Aizen reached out and gently trailed a finger down the curve of Kagome's cheek and left, arching a brow at Kagewaki when he took a shuddering breath as he passed by.

He needed to meet back up with Gin and head into the heart of Karakura Town to begin his final preparations. Then, he would take the Soul King down and establish himself as the new ruler. It would be flawless and foolproof. After all, Ichigo Kurosaki didn't stand a chance.

_'One thing at a time,'_ Aizen thought, a sly smile making its' way onto his features as he stared up at the sky.

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A/N: End of this little blurb. I hope you guys enjoy! Please feel free to leave a review!

On another note, this is going to be my last update for a little while. Mom will have to have the surgery before the end of the year. The growth in her spine is pressing down on the nerves so badly that if she doesn't get this done as soon as possible, which will be Christmas Eve/Day, she could end up paralyzed from the waist down. She also has a fracture in her spine. If she falls again before they can stabalize it, she'll also end up paralyzed. To make matters worse, the procedure she was going under to help with the pain backfired because they were using contaminated medicine and the resulting fungal infection was killing people. She has that fungal infection. So now we have a malpractice issue going on. But, thankfully, she is now getting help from one of the absolutely best hospitals in the state. I'm going to be super busy helping her, so I won't really have any time to continue writing until things settle around here.

I'm really sorry about anyone that has been waiting for me to get a move on and leaving you all hanging, but momma takes priority for me right now. Thank you guys so much for your support and all your positive words in our time of difficulty. I'll try to get back as soon as I can.

See you guys soon!


	30. REtrace

Summary

Kagome reawakens to find that not everything is as fine and dandy as she hopes. A visit to a couple of reckless nobles sets everyone straight though...

A/N: And... Yayz! More plot moving! And the romance stuff. Can't leave that behind! Anyways, here we go!

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It was strange. One moment she was floating in the darkness of her own mind, and the next she was slowly blinking the sunlight from her sleep-crusted eyes. She knew she'd been asleep for a while simply by how lethargic her body felt. There was a significant difference in the last time she'd been awake though.

She felt light, airy, and whole.

_'Free... So this is what being unchained feels like,'_ Kagome Higurashi thought, slowly manuvering herself into a sitting position. Her arms shook from the effort and she was inwardly disgusted with herself. She needed to get back into proper shape as soon as possible. The priestess looked up when she heard a crash.

Sango stared at the girl in the bed, hands to her mouth and tears brimming in her eyes. The vase of flowers she had been holding was in pieces at her feet, but she paid it no mind as she scrambled over to Kagome and pulled her into a hug. "You're finally awake! Oh, I can't believe it!"

"Have. To. Breathe!" the former time traveler gasped, desperately trying to shove her best girl friend away. A moment later, her hands were occupied as Sango continued to weep happily.

"We've missed you so much, Kagome! We were so worried that you would never wake up!"

"What? And leave you behind? No way!" Kagome gasped dramatically, putting a hand to her heart and fluttering her lashes. "That simply would not do, Sango!" She giggled at the lost expression on the other girl's face.

"Everyone will be so happy you're finally awake! You missed all the action, though," Sango sighed, shaking her head and sitting down next to Kagome.

"What action?" At the former slayer's silence, the priestess narrowed her eyes and pinned the other girl with a look. One she'd unconsciously been picking up from Byakuya.

"Well..." Sango quickly outlined the entire Aizen fiasco as Kagome stared at her open-mouthed in shock. She couldn't believe she'd actually missed so much.

"W-Wow. I had no idea so much happened!" A moment later, the priestess became completely serious, "Were there casualties?"

"Not that I know of," the former slayer replied, shaking her head, "But there were extensive injuries. Everyone got beat up at least a little."

"Everyone? You mean... Did Captain Kuchiki sustain injuries? What about Lieutenant Abarai? Rukia?"

"They were part of the intial front line attack against Aizen and his Espada. All of them were hurt in some way," Sango explained, jumping up when Kagome scrambled out of bed and gasping in shock when the former time traveler hit the ground painfully. "Kagome! You shouldn't get out of bed! You need to take things slowly and-! HEY!"

Kagome ignored the anger in her friend's voice as she tried to get to her feet again. She couldn't stand the fact that she was so damn weak right now!

"Sango, can I have a piggyback ride?"

"What? Why?!"

"I need to go see everyone. I have to make sure they're okay."

"Kagome, they're fine! What you **need** to do is **rest**!" the other girl argued, an annoyed vein pulsing on her head. The blue-eyed girl stared at Sango with such imploring eyes that the brunette had a hard time keeping her foot down.

"No!"

"Oh please!"

"N-No! You... You have to rest... and... and..."

"Sango..." Kagome murmured, clasping her hands just under her chin, her eyes becoming huge with pleading.

"... Oh! Fine! But just for a few minutes! Then, you rest up!" Sango finally gave in, crouching down to let Kagome scramble on. With a sour look on her face, the brunette stood up and blew her bangs out of her face. "Where to first."

"Hmm... Let's go see the Lieutenant," the priestess giggled, wrapping an arm around the other girl's shoulder and throwing her fist in the air. "Onward, valient steed!"

"You keep that up and I'm going to put you back to bed!"

"Aww! No fair!"

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Kagome sighed to herself as she looked over the bandage attached to Renji's head. It was well done, so she had no complaints; then again, it had been a Squad 4 member that had patched the Lieutenant up.

"Well, it's good to see you awake, Higurashi," the redhead grumbled, rubbing his aching shoulder. He was itching to get out of bed, but the Medical Squad of the Court Guard was being incredibly capricious about injuries.

"Trust me, I'm glad to finally be awake. I can't believe I was out for so long," the former school girl replied, rolling her neck as she adjusted her position in her chair. "So, you said that Captain Kuchiki and Rukia are recovering at home?"

"Yep. You should stop by and see them. They'll both be happy you're up and going," Renji answered, a smirk on his face as he imagined the siblings' reactions. He was sure Rukia would tackle the girl, and he could honestly say he wouldn't be surprised if his Captain did the same.

"Yeah. I think I will." Turning to Sango, she opened her mouth to ask about getting to the Kuchiki Manor, but squeaked as she noticed Kenpachi Zaraki in the ward. Oddly enough, he was looking rather uncomfortable and disgruntled while Sango berated him for getting unnecessarily hurt. Whipping back around, Kagome gave a bemused Renji a sheepish smile.

"You know, it's weird seeing Captain Zaraki get the talk down from a woman almost twice as small as him," the Lieutenant murmured, shaking his head when the enormous Captain shrugged his shoulders and glared off in the distance. The dismissal only seemed to incite the former slayer's ire more as she stood on the tips of her toes to snarl in his face.

"Tell me about it. I don't see how she does it," the priestess countered, sighing quietly before shaking her head. "You want to head with me over to the Kuchiki Manor? I have a feeling they're going to be at it for a while."

Renji gave her a blank look. "Can you even walk? You were comatose for almost two months, after all."

"It's as good a time as any to start getting my strength back," Kagome shrugged, pulling herself to her feet and letting out a disgusted growl as her knees shook from the effort. "But I will say that it's going to be annoying if I'm shaking like this the whole time."

Renji held out an arm for her to grab and started helping her out the door in the midst of Sango and Kenpachi's arguing. "Let's just get the hell out of here."

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Thankfully, Renji managed to persuade the guards around the manor that, yes, they were allowed in for visitation, and did they even know who he was, damn it?! It was a load off of Kagome's shoulders because she honestly hadn't planned on how to deal with those guys.

Now, following one of the servants to the main sitting room, Kagome slid her arm from around Renji's shoulder and focused carefully on balancing on her own. She absolutely did **not** want Rukia and Byakuya to see her being carried in there by her injured Lieutenant.

She watched the servant kneel and bow to the closed door, sucking in a breath and pressing down her sudden jitters. She could **do this**!

"My lord, my lady. You have a visitor that wishes very much to see you."

"This late? That's unusual. Nii-sama is getting ready to retire for the day. Can they come back?" Rukia's voice floated through the closed shoji and the woman glanced at them. Kagome immediately shook her head and hobbled to the door.

"Now, that's not very nice, Rukia. I came all the way from the Coma Ward to see you guys and you want to shove me out?" the priestess joked, sliding open the door and leaning against the frame with a happy smile.

It was absolutely worth the pain of being carted around to see the flummoxed expressions on the two nobles faces. The smile dropped immediately when she noted the cast on the noble girl's arm and the bandages wrapping up Byakuya's wrist. "Shit, you guys really were injured."

"Ka-Kagome?!" Rukia squeaked, dropping the tea cup she'd been holding. The expensive ceramic shattered, making the servant jump before she rushed over to start cleaning up the mess. In a moment, she was gone to dispose of the remains.

"A lot of people are breaking things when they see me for some reason," the former time traveler mumbled before she was bowled over by an extremely enthusiastic Kuchiki girl.

"You're okay! And awake! This is wonderful news!" the tiny violet-eyed shinigami crowed, grinning like a maniac as she almost bounced around the priestess. "There is so much you need to be caught up on and-! Hey! Renji! What the hell?!"

"Stop that, Rukia! She barely made it here in the first place! She can't support her own weight, let alone another persons'!" Renji snapped, lifting the smaller shinigami by her obi and reaching out to hook Kagome around the waist like a sack.

"If I didn't just get out of bed I would beat you, Lieutenant!" the priestess hissed angrily, remaining limp simply because it would be easier and she was tired. She was deposited on the couch in a heap next to a mute Byakuya. The noble had yet to say a word; he seemed to have gone into shock at seeing her conscious.

"I'm taking this one with me. You two play nice," the redhead smirked, flipping Rukia over his shoulder and walking out of the room despite the noble girl's vehement protests. Byakuya's steely gaze narrowed on the duo as he opened his mouth to say something. He seemed to think better of it though and simply shook his head before training that intense gaze back on a fidgety Kagome. The door slid closed and left them in silence.

"Umm, this was not how I wanted to say hello again, if that makes you feel any better, Captain."

Lifting his uninjured hand, Byakuya traced her cheek carefully, almost afraid she would disappear again. "You are really here?"

Kagome smiled warmly and leaned closer to the dazed Captain. Shifting slightly, the priestess pressed a kiss to his cheek, pulling away a few seconds later with a flush across her cheeks.

"Was that real enough for you?" she joked, not expecting him to haul her into his lap hold her close.

"Perhaps," the noble replied a little smugly, smoothing the girl's bangs down when she grumbled under her breath. Within the next heartbeat, however, he felt her angle his face down as she kissed him full on. Fingers wove into her hair, disrupting the braid she was wearing and Kagome gasped when he deepened the kiss.

A moment later they parted and he rested his forehead against hers. Languidly, the noble's grey eyes darkened at the flush on Kagome's cheeks.

"How 'bout now?" she gasped, swallowing slowly when his lips brushed her cheek for an instant before they started trailing lower.

"Much better," the Captain replied, blinking when she suddenly squeaked and shoved him back.

"W-Wait! Wait a second." He scowled for a second before he got his emotions back under control and pinned her with an intense stare.

"You are hesitating."

"Well, yeah. I don't... What exactly does all of this," Kagome started, gesturing to them in a vague manner, "mean to you? I don't want to get involved in something like this if you're not serious."

Byakuya inhaled slowly, willing himself to recall his patience, then quietly explained, "Kagome, you are the first woman, since Hisana, that I have willingly shown an avid interest in. I certainly do not believe that what is transpiring between us is fleeting in any sense."

"So... then... are you asking me out? You want to date me or something?"

"Or something," the noble muttered under his breath, shaking his head at her confused expression, "It goes much deeper than that. I wish to court you."

"C-Court?" the former school girl squeaked, stumbling over the archaic term as her face flushed, "But... But we barely know eachother!"

"That is the purpose behind it. We would get to know eachother properly, instead of behind the ley-lines of Captain and Subordinate."

"Still... You make it sound like an engagement," she mumured, swallowing when he gave her a wicked smirk.

"Now who is the one making assumptions? I did not realize you wished to progress this so quickly."

"I didn't say that!" Kagome gasped, refusing to meet his gaze as it became light with amusement.

"I know. I am teasing you," the noble replied, cradling her close and simply hugging her to him.

"I'm not used to that..."

"Perhaps you should prepare yourself for it. I find the way your face changes color to be quite endearing." She huffed, which he found to be adorable.

For a while, they simply basked in eachother's prescences. Kagome absently smoothed a wrinkle out of his yukata while he played with the ribbon keeping her braid together. In all honesty, the Captain could definitely get used to this peace.

"So... Courting."

"If you will have me," Byakuya answered quietly, hoping and praying she would say yes. He wasn't sure how much more his heart could take.

The priestess thought truthfully about everything, actually seeking in her heart the answer. She smiled up at the Kuchiki head. "One condition?"

"Name it," he spoke.

"Stop stealing my ribbons. They're hard enough to replace as it is," the black-haired woman grumbled, shooting him a look.

"I suppose if I must," the Captain sighed, slightly crestfallen at the idea of not being able to partake in a passtime he'd come to enjoy.

"Instead," Kagome continued, pulling out the pale blue ribbon in her hair and loosening her braid. She then took his uninjured hand and tied it to his wrist carefully, "You just hold on to my favorite one and think of it as a good luck charm if you have to go into battle again." Patting his hand, Byakuya lost his breath when she smiled sweetly up at him. For that smile, he would give her the heavens if she asked.

"... I can agree to that," he murmured softly, combing his fingers through her loose hair and relishing the silky feeling.

"Then, I accept," the former guardian answered, bowing slightly. "I hope you will take care of me."

"Always," the noble nodded, placing a kiss on the crown of her head as she curled back into him. There were still a lot of things they needed to work out, and more to discuss, but for now, he could set his worries aside.

To him, this moment was perfect.

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A/N: Ugh! You guys... It has been a crazy worn-out start of the year. Mom was in the hospital the entire month of January due to various reasons. After her surgery her platelets kept dropping out on her, then she had a seizure, and the doctors were doing all of these tests on her. After that, her blood pressure dropped out and she had a heart attack. They put a stent in her artery to clear up the blockage, and I've been so caught up with everything that this is so unbelievably late. I've ridden the emotional roller coaster too long already. Thankfully, she is **finally** in a rehab center to help get her strength back. Yay... I'm so exhausted. I just want her to get better and come home where she belongs.

And then, I found a new series to get into. I blame Netflix and WHY did I never find Kuroshitsuji before now! It's sooo awesome! Ciel is adorable and desperately needs cuddles, and Sebastian. Enough said there. And the manga! GAH! They need to hurry up and get it moving some more! Just epic. And dark. Really dark, but I'm totally in love. I'm seriously going to be looking into a Inu-Kuro story. Soon. Very soon. There is so much potential!

Finally, a shameless plug here, but for those of you that read **Dinner For Two** and enjoyed it, I have started a new Kakashi/Kagome titled **Illusive Affections**. Check it out if you want to.

Okay. I'm done with my rants. Anyways, expect more soon. I'll keep you all as updated as possible on the mom situation, but hopefully I won't be gone so long from now on. Please review!


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